Mein Drache
by JadedKupcake
Summary: When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by Lucius, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it.
1. In The Dungeon

**Mein Drache**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Well, if you read the books, you know what I don't own. ;)**

**Summary: **When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.

**CHAPTER ONE: IN THE DUNGEON**

Draco woke up suddenly. He was struck with a feeling of dread, although he couldn't say why. He looked around his huge room in the manor. Nothing new there. He wondered if the feeling he had simply came from a nightmare. It was possible, but Draco didn't think that was what was wrong. He cautiously arose from his bed and grabbed his wand. He strode out of his room and began the long walk down the corridor. He knew that if there was trouble in the manor, it was probably in the large dungeon hidden magically by the Fedelius Charm. He was the secret keeper to the dungeon, and his father had been hiding there since escaping the clutches of the ministry._ 'No thanks to the giant snake he bows down to,' _Draco thought bitterly.

He had turned against the Dark side and Voldemort ever since Voldemort had forgotten about one of his most devoted servants. Draco wondered how he himself had ever wanted to be a servant to anyone, much less a lunatic that hadn't even been able to kill a baby. Although he had turned against the Dark, he had not, and had no intentions of joining the Light either. _'Why risk my life fighting with an old fool that would sacrifice me in a heartbeat if it meant saving Golden Boy?' _To Draco, Dumbledore was little better than the evil sadist himself.

Draco pulled himself out of his thoughts, remembering that he needed to check the dungeons. He wondered if it was simply his father torturing someone again. _'But that wouldn't make since, he's tortured and killed loads of people down there, and I've never gotten this feeling before. Something must be wrong with father.' _He quickened his pace and after a few minutes, he reached the dungeon entrance located convientely near his wing of the manor. He entered it and crept silently down the hard stone stairs, his grip on his wand tightening. He stopped about 5 steps from the bottom, where he had a clear view of the room. He paled at what he saw. Draco leaned against the stone wall for support, then suddenly realized that if the man in the room were to turn, he would be seen.

Draco crept, catlike, off the stairs and into heavy shadows. He was now shielded from view, but could watch the scene.

He knew he shouldn't be here. That he should go back to his room and forget about this. _'Right, just go back up to my room, and forget all about this lovely sight. Like that'll happen anytime soon.' _He already knew that this image would be burned into his memory forever. It was like a train wreck. You wanted to look away but you couldn't. He watched as the man drew a slender finger over the young man's face, in a seemingly lovingly manner. Draco, however, knew that the touch was anything but loving. His father had often touched him the same way before torturing him. Draco had seen numerous people being tortured, raped, and killed at the hands of his father before, but this was different than the other ones somehow. It wasn't everyday you saw The Boy Who Lived powerless and beaten by a Malfoy.

Lucius was now pulling Harry's bloody shirt off of his torso. Harry had seemingly stopped fighting against anything. Draco knew he would simply take whatever was coming to him, and was suddenly struck with a feeling of hopelessness. If the so-called savior of the wizarding world was in this condition, the earth was in some serious shit. He took a closer look at Harry's face, and saw resignation and apathy, as well as hopelessness and defeat. He actually felt sorry for his childhood rival. Lucius yanked down his pants, exposing several more cuts and bruises, his chest, arms and face being covered in them. Harry was now hanging naked on the wall in chains. His head drooped submissively. Draco could hear Lucius mumbling to Harry, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Lucius then undid the chains, letting Harry fall to the floor. Harry didn't even have enough time to get up when Lucius yelled "Crucio!"

The world (or maybe it was just his head, he didn't know) started spinning as Draco watched the leader of the Light scream and writhe in agony on the dungeon floor. Lucius looked out him and laughed, no doubt highly amused that the savior of the wizarding world could be reduced to this. After a few minutes, Lucius ended the spell and strapped Harry down to a cold-looking metal table. Draco thought Harry probably knew what was coming next. Lucius pulled down his own pants, and cast a warming spell around himself to protect him from the cold dungeon air. Lucius bent down and began whispering things in Harry's ear. Draco could only imagine what he was saying. Then, he pulled back a little, lined himself up with Harry's opening, and shoved. Harry let out a piercing scream, and Draco tried hard to refrain from retching.

Harry's scream had been worse than the ones he had let out while under the Cruciatus Curse, and those had been horrible. Lucius continued thrusting in and out of Harry, and after the first scream, Harry had been silent save for the occasional whimper or groan. After he came, Lucius loosened Harry from the table, and forced him down onto his knees. He then proceeded to force Harry to suck him off. Draco saw that Harry looked like he wanted to vomit. He also looked like he wanted to die. After Lucius had came for the second time that night, he chained Harry back up to the wall with a promise that he'd come back soon. He left the dungeons. As soon as the door closed, Draco heard Harry retching.

He walked from his corner towards Harry. It was now pitch black in the dungeon, seeing as how Lucius had taken off his lighting charm on the room. "Lumos", Draco whispered, igniting his wand. He went over to Harry's now unconscious form, covered in puke. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. He looked closer at Harry, seeing that hardly and skin had been left unmarked. The Cruciatus Curse had been administered to Harry's form at least once that night, probably more. Harry was in terrible shape. Draco couldn't help but feel a bit of triumph at the fact that his father had beaten and broken the Boy Who Lived. Lucius could kill Harry right now, do what the Dark Lord himself couldn't do. _'But does he really deserve any of this?' _Draco thought. _'Really, he didn't do anything at all, except be born and survive, and you can hardly blame him for that._

_'But he is an arrogant prat,' _he thought in his father's defense. _'But aren't I much more arrogant than he is? We may have even been friends if I hadn't insulted his friends and acted better than them. Of course,' _Draco thought with a mental smirk_, 'I am better than the Weasel and the Mudblood.'_ Draco then thought about what he was thinking. 'True, even if he is annoying at school, did he really deserve all of this? Nothing of what happened in his life was his fault. Really, it was all Voldemort's fault.' Realizing that what he was doing could be called defending Harry, he deciding he wasn't thinking right since it was too late and he was in a cold, dark dungeon. He knew he would be able to think properly after a good night's sleep. With that, he went up to his bedroom and climbed into bed.


	2. Decisions

**Summary: **When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.

**Disclamier: **I don't own a single thing that has already been mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling owns all that. I own everything that's not in her books.

**Chapter Two: Decisions**

Draco went into his bed and closed his eyes, however, sleep did not come. He waited for a while, willing his body to sleep, but it wasn't working. Thoughts about the Gryffindor and the sight that was still in the dungeons of his home plagued his mind. _'How is it,' _Draco wondered, _'that Golden Boy can be hanging in my fathers dungeons, thoroughly beaten, and still manage to annoy me?' _He wasn't blaming this on Harry though. He gave up on sleep and stare sightlessly at the darkness covering his room, more specifically the area above his bed. _'Why does everything happen to this one boy?' _Draco did not really feel sympathy towards Harry as much as curiosity.

Draco understood that Voldemort wanted revenge on Harry for weakening him as a baby, but why couldn't he kill him after he returned to power? _'Some great Dark Lord. Can't even kill a baby, then still can't manage to kill him as an adolescence.' _Draco was mainly thinking these thoughts for his amusement. He enjoyed mentally berating his father's lord, even if he knew some of his points weren't valid. He knew that it wasn't weakness on Voldemort's part that had kept him from successfully killing Harry._ 'What kind of power does Potter possess? It has got to be something strong to keep him alive against Voldemort. Why couldn't the strongest, most sadistic and evil dark wizard of our age kill that particular child?'_ This train of thought continued until he remembered that the boy he was trying to figure out the mystery to was currently hanging in his father's dungeon, and had a good chance of dying within the night.

'If he dies, I'll never get answers.' Draco now faced a serious dilemma. _'If I save Potter's life, he will be in debt to me big time,' _the Slytherin side of Draco's brain thought. _'I'll also be the savior of the savior of the wizarding world,' _he thought with slight amusement. But he also knew that saving Harry wasn't such the light-hearted task he was making it out to be. There would be serious consequences either way. He made a mental list of the consequences for saving Harry.

Draco now faced a serious dilemma. the Slytherin side of Draco's brain thought. he thought with slight amusement. But he also knew that saving Harry wasn't such the light-hearted task he was making it out to be. There would be serious consequences either way. He made a mental list of the consequences for saving Harry. 

1. Father would be furious with me, and more than likely try to kill me.

2. Potter would live

3. The Light would probably think that saving him was a sign of commitment to them.

4. I would be left with no money.

5. Saving Potter would mean betraying father, for if I came back with a beaten Harry, Dumbledore would no doubt use a truth potion, and perhaps tap into my mind as well.

6. I would have an angry Dark Lord after me

7. I would be forced to answer awkward and unwanted questions.

8. I would be living with students who would want me dead, and would attempt to get what they wanted.

There were other consequences, Draco knew, but he didn't feel the need to rack his brain for all of them. He then thought of the consequences of not saving Harry.

1. If Dumbledore had suspicions that I knew about Potter's disappearance, I would be forced to take a truth potion, which would land both me and my father in Azkaban, and although he knows how to get out, I don't and he wouldn't help me.

2. Possibly the only hope for riding the world of Voldemort would be dead, because of me.

3. An innocent boy would die because of me.

4. I wouldn't have anyone at Hogwarts to fight with(he added that one mostly to lighten his mood)

5. I couldn't live with myself

6. I would never get my questions answered

Draco looked over the consequences of each action, mentally adding more to each choice. He thought about it for about half an hour, a mental battle that left him with a pounding headache. He knew if he was going to act, he had to do it soon. 'How long can Potter last in his condition?' Draco knew he wouldn't be able to last through another one of his father's torture sessions. No one could live through one night and a day of that. 'Come to think of it, I don't even know how long Potter's been here.' After about another 10 minutes of thought, Draco decided what he was going to do.

**Author's Notes**: Thanks to the reviewers! This is my first online story ever, and I'm still getting used to the uploading things, so sorry if I happen to mess something up. I'm glad you liked my story, and I love getting messages that you do, but tell me if I'm doing something horribly wrong or if this story really, REALLY sucks. Thanks to everyone and please Review! ;)


	3. The Rescue

**Summary: **When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.

**Disclamier: **I don't own a single thing that has already been mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling owns all that. I own everything that's not in her books.

**CHAPTER THREE- The Rescue**

(Not very original title, but eh...whatever.)

Draco knew now that he couldn't possibly just lie up in his room, while Harry got murdered by his father. The thought of doing that sickened him a bit. Although he would never admit it, he could hardly imagine life without the occasional fight with Gryffindor Golden Boy. He shivered at the thought of Hogwarts without Harry, because he would be reminded of the fact that he had as good as killed his childhood rival every time he went to Potions, or Care of Magical Creatures. It was a disturbing and rather depressing thought really.

With his head filled with thoughts of Harry less Hogwarts, he walked out of his room, across his own living room, up the stairs and across the manor to his father's quarters. He listened at each door leading to his father's bedroom, making sure he was asleep before slipping over to his bed and casting a sleeping charm on him. He would sleep until the afternoon of the next day. He levitated his father's sleeping form back down several staircases, into the dungeon. It was the only place in the house that no one would be able to find him if they should check the manor for him again. He spelled Harry's chains off, and caught him before he hit the floor. He was surprisingly light. _'Was he already this light, or did my father's ministrations cause weight loss? But he hasn't been here long enough for my father to have made him lose this much weight. Or has he?' _Thinking about all of that was starting to make his head hurt, so he focused on the task at hand instead.

He didn't bother casting a sleeping spell on him, confident that'd he'd be unconscious for quite a while. He wished he had paid more attention in Charms when they had learned about temporary healing charms. He decided not to waste energy levitating Harry back all the way to his room. Carrying him would be much easier, his being so light. He now had to figure out where he was going to take Harry. He didn't exactly know where he lived during the summer. _'Come to think of it, how did my father know where to find him? Dumbledore probably has ways to protect him during the summer, seeing as how he favors Potter so much. I'll have to ask Potter later. Not that he'll tell me, I'm sure.' _That led Draco's thoughts off course.

'What **will** Potter think when he finds out I helped him? Or will he even stay alive long enough to find out? I need to get him to some healers, and fast...wait...**of course!** That's where I'll take him!' Draco sped up to get to the only fireplace that worked(the other ones had been disconnected from the Flo Network. Draco still didn't know why this one hadn't been). Once he was there, he reconsidered.

I think _anyone _would be suspicious seeing a Malfoy helping a Potter. He thought a moment before deciding what to do. "Disguizious," Draco said, concentrating hard on a tall, dark wizard, with short dark hair and a sharp face. He quickly glanced into the mirror above the fireplace, making sure the spell had worked correctly before throwing Flo powder into the fireplace and stepping into the now emerald flames. "St. Mungo's Healers Office, Grate 465," he stated clearly. He felt the sensation of traveling through fireplaces. He loved the feeling, although most people didn't. Most people also couldn't floo to St. Mungo's, but as his father had had connections everywhere, he had gotten to use grates most other people didn't know about. He stepped from the fireplace and quickly made his way into the main corridor, careful not to let the healers spot him.

He went up to the Welcome Witch, as he wasn't sure where he should go. Harry hadn't had an _Artifact Accident, Creature-Induced Injury, Magical Bug, Potion or Plant Poisoning, or Spell Damage. _

'Why don't they have a floor for people who were near death from blood loss, and unmerciful torturing?' Draco really had never thought of that before now, but now thought it was really obvious that they should have a floor for that kind of thing.

"Where do I go for a patient that is near death from blood loss, and one, if not several, Cruciatus Curses?" he asked hurriedly.

The witch looked extremely surprised and revolted at the sight of the bloody Harry Potter.

"Sixth Floor, Ward for Extreme Torture Patients," she said, most of her usual professional manner gone.

"Well, I'm not going to carry him all the way up there! Get some healers down here to put him on stretchers!" he snapped, getting frustrated and annoyed very quickly.

"Yes, sir." She hit a button on her desk, which must have alerted a healer that there was an emergency, for about 10 seconds later, a very worried looking healer appeared out of thin air. Upon the sight of Harry, he conjured a stretcher and out Harry on it. He took Harry on the lifts, presumably to the 6th floor. A moment later, another healer apparated by Draco.

"I need to ask you some questions about Mr. Potter's state."

Draco was very grateful at that moment that he was a quick thinker. "Very well, however I must tell you that I have very little information about his current condition."

The healer led him to a small room on the side of the corridor they had previously been occupying. "How did you come across Mr. Potter?"

Draco took a deep breath and began telling his story, mostly making it up as he went, but taking great care to memorize every word he said, in case he was asked to repeat the story. "I must first say that I will not release the exact location in which I found him. I was in London, meeting a friend of mine. It was very late, less than an hour ago, and the streets were basically deserted in this particular area. It was only coincidence that I happened to be around when I heard a faint scream coming from the direction of an area that had a lot of abandoned shacks and homes. I began running towards them, and heard another scream. By this time, I was close enough to the shack he was in to pinpoint the exact one. I ran into the house and found..."

Draco's voice weakened and broke off here. He was a good actor, and knew he couldn't be too casual about the whole thing. After all, a nameless wizard finding the most famous wizard of their world being tortured was not exactly an everyday occurrence. He put his head in his hands and made a little moaning sound, as if he was going to be sick.

"Sir?" the healer questioned tentatively, "Would you like a potion for nausea?"

Draco shook his head, and slowly lifted his head up, not quite looking the healer in the eye. "No, thanks. It's just so hard...seeing the savior of the wizarding world like this."

The healer nodded his head sympathetically. Over the summer after fifth year, nearly everyone was convinced that Harry was their savior again, and he was once more worshipped by most of the wizarding population.

"If it's not too much to ask right now, would you mind continuing with your story, sir?"

Draco shook his head, congratulating himself on his terrific acting. "Anyways, after I got into the house, I saw Mr. Potter on the floor, writhing from the Cruciatus Curse. Then, after the spell ended, the hooded man laughed, it was horrible. Then he disapperated. I quickly checked over Mr. Potter's body, and it was evident that he had been underwent many different forms of torture. I was not in a state of mind for more thorough examination, and after a few minutes of frantic pacing, I thought of bringing him here. I had to use a Muggle friend's (Draco shuddered internally at the thought) car to get him here."

The healer nodded. "That is all the information you have on the situation then?" Draco nodded. "And you stand firm with your request to keep the location secret?"

"Affirmative."

The healer got up and made to walk out the door, but then stopped. She turned around, and asked, "Would you like a potion for nerves? A Calming Draught perhaps?"

"No, thank you." As the healer was about to close the door behind her, Draco asked, "Do you know how long it will be before I will be able to see Mr. Potter?"

**Author Notes: **Thanks again to all my reviewers! Thanks for the suggestions, although for the most part, I will refrain from using them, unless I already had planned to. No offense to anyone though! I just like keeping my work as original as possible, without making it horrible. Also, sorry if I take a long time to update. I have a problem with procrastination.

**P.S. **If you think my chapters are too short, tell me and if I get enough people complaining that they want longer chapters, I'll try to expand them for you. Also, vice versa if you think they are too long.

**P.S.S** If anyone likes the beginning of my story, but thinks that I screwed up the last part(once I get more of the story written), feel free to redo my story with an alternative ending, just tell me first.


	4. Dumbledore and Realizations

**Summary: **When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own a single thing that has already been mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling owns all that. I own everything that's not in her books.

**CHAPTER FOUR-Dumbledore and Realizations**

The healer turned to face Draco.

"I'm sorry, but until we assess how much damage has been done to Mr. Potter, and how long it will take for him to recover, we cannot say when he will be allowed visitors." She turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

Draco sighed and slumped in his chair. _'Well, I'm not going to sit around here all day. I've got to take care of some matters anyways.' _He went back up to the Healer's office and threw some floo powder into the grate. "Malfoy Manner, Hidden Grate 695" He was once more whirling through the flames. He stepped out of the fire and went all the way up to his father's rooms. It always struck him as funny that whilst they had been married, his parent's had never even shared a room. His suspicions that they did not love each other at all were confirmed when his father escaped Azkaban and left his mother to rot. Luckily, not long after, the dementor's were called off by Voldemort, and his mother escaped. She hadn't came back though, so Draco hadn't seen her since she was put in Azkaban.

Draco was once more in his father's bedroom. He suddenly realized he didn't know where his father had hidden the key to the vault in their house. As soon as his father had gotten out of Azkaban, he had ordered Draco to collect all their money from Gringott's and had now hidden it away in an underground vault. Come to think of it, perhaps this whole manor was hidden. Draco now remembered that on his way to Gringott's, someone in a dark cloak had came up to him and told him that Lucius lived at Malfoy Manor and had even gone on to tell him the exact location of it. He had been utterly bewildered then, but looking back, he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. He also was now more confused than he had been a few hours ago.

'Why did father bother making me secret keeper of one room if the whole house is hidden. Perhaps he doesn't trust the other secret-keeper. Come to think of it, who is that? Why didn't he make me the secret-keeper? He probably thought it would too obvious to anyone that tried to find it to go to me for information. Father must not trust me then. He thinks I would tell if someone tortured me. And truthfully, I might've. It's not like father does anything for me anymore, anyways,' he thought bitterly.

While Draco had been thinking about all of this, he had also been searching the room. Then he thought about where it would be. '_Obviously father is smarter than to hide the key where I can't find it. Luckily he gave me instructions on how to get to the vault, so I could do his errands. But this manor is huge! And keys are so tiny. Finding that key would be much harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Wait a minute...' _He took out his wand. "Accio key!" He waited a minute, then several hundred keys came flying at him. He couldn't fathom what all the keys were for, but luckily he knew which one was the one to the vault, seeing as how his father had handed it to him so many times. He quickly spotted the large golden key, and hurried down to the vault. After several minutes, he was there and he put the key inside the keyhole and turned it. Inside was hundreds of mounds of galleons, sickles, and knuts. Most of them were galleons.

'How am I supposed to carry all of this? I can't take all of it with me, obviously. How much can I take? He went back up a flight of stairs (_whose idea was it to make this house so huge anyways?)_ and got a large trunk out of a huge closet. He went back down and filled it with all the galleons that could fit in it. He knew that the amount of money in the trunk was enough to last him many years, but he wanted more. He _was _very greedy after all, and wanted to make sure he was still the richest child at Hogwarts. He went back to the closet and got two even larger trunks, which he promptly filled with galleons, also. He now had several thousand galleons. He cast spells on all three trunks to make them feather light and another spell to bind them together.

He went back up a flight of stairs ( and got a large trunk out of a huge closet. He went back down and filled it with all the galleons that could fit in it. He knew that the amount of money in the trunk was enough to last him many years, but he wanted more. He very greedy after all, and wanted to make sure he was still the richest child at Hogwarts. He went back to the closet and got two even larger trunks, which he promptly filled with galleons, also. He now had several thousand galleons. He cast spells on all three trunks to make them feather light and another spell to bind them together. 

_'I wonder why the Ministry hasn't sent me any warnings. I've done at least three spells tonight. They probably don't care about underage magic right now, what with Voldemort back.'_ He picked up the trunks and took them back up to his room. He got another trunk out and filled it with all the possessions he was going to take with him. He packed all his books, his wand, and several other useful items. He cast one more lightening spell on that and bound it to the other three. He then took out his broomstick and carried the lot down to his fireplace.

'Okay, I've got all my items now, where am I going to go?' He had no other houses besides the manor, although now that he thought about it, he wondered why his parents hadn't thought to purchase safe-houses. _'Everyone already knows about the manor. It would only make since to have other places to go.' _Then another thought came to Draco. _'Perhaps they do have other houses, but thought I wasn't trustworthy enough to know about them.' _He decided he needed to think about this later, right now he needed to think of somewhere to stay. Then it came to him. _'The Leaky Cauldron!' _Checking to make sure his disguise was fully in place, he carried his trunks into the emerald flames. "Diagon Alley"

He had no other houses besides the manor, although now that he thought about it, he wondered why his parents hadn't thought to purchase safe-houses. Then another thought came to Draco. He decided he needed to think about this later, right now he needed to think of somewhere to stay. Then it came to him. Checking to make sure his disguise was fully in place, he carried his trunks into the emerald flames. "Diagon Alley"****

Meanwhile...

The healers had been working frantically on repairing the damage done to Harry's body. Most of the wounds had been healed, and the blood replenished, but there seem to have been several spells placed on him that had been making it impossible for his body to regain full health, and there was some internal damage that wasn't healing properly. Whoever had done this had to have been a powerful wizard. Not many people could make sure that the healer's weren't able to heal him. Whoever had done it had not intended for Harry to live. Then again, anybody could have guessed that. They needed more help.

The healer's were now in the Healers Office, discussing what they should do.

"What should we do? He's not healing!" exclaimed one of the healers anxiously.

"Get Dumbledore!" another one answered frantically.

The first healer went to the hidden fireplace. "Albus Dumbledore!"

Albus appeared on the other side of the fire. "What is it?" he asked calmly.

"Harry Potter has been tortured and is not healing like he should be. The torturer has put some sort of enchantments on him."

Dumbledore's face looked grim. "I will be there as soon as I can get another source of help." He left the fireside and the healer came back out of the fire.

"He will be here soon," she informed the rest of them. "I don't think we should try anything else until he gets here. We don't want to hurt him further or damage his magic."

The rest of the healer's agreed. After only a few more minutes, Dumbledore and Severus Snape came out of the fireplace.

"Tell us everything you know." Dumbledore said, very alert.

The healers recounted everything they knew, the healer that had carried him to the 6th floor recounting the state he had been in when he had arrived, the healer that had interviewed Draco told Dumbledore the young man's story, and the other healer's giving information on the treatments they had tried, with the results they had gotten. When Dumbledore had all the information regarding Harry, he stood up.

"Severus and I will be seeing Mr. Potter now. Would you be so kind as to give us his room number?" It was a polite demand.

A healer answered "Sixth floor, room 1172, you will need a healer with you to access that particular floor. I would be glad to assist you."

Dumbledore nodded. "Lead the way."

The healer led Dumbledore up the several floors to Harry's room. The three of them went into his room.

Dumbledore asked, "Would you mind waiting outside for a moment while Severus and I determine the situation with Mr. Potter?" It was once more, one of those polite commands he was so good at giving.

The healer replied, "Yes sir, is there anything I can get for you?"

"No thank you" The healer stepped out of the room and Dumbledore turned to Snape. He looked old once more, and there was no twinkle in his eye.

"I know you have your suspicions on who did this to the boy. Would you mind telling me who you think it is?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It was obviously a Dark wizard, a follower of Voldemort's. I couldn't imagine that anyone else would try such a thing. Most likely right in Voldemort's inner circle. I have my suspicions on who it could be, but as they are simply that, I will not voice them until I have confirmation, or at least more proof. It wouldn't do well to accuse one without evidence."

Snape looked irritated by this. "If you don't tell the Order who you think it is, how are we supposed to help find him?" Snape asked impatiently.

"That is exactly why I am not telling the Order. I won't have anyone do anything rash if there is no need." Dumbledore said, his voice still calm.

"We wouldn't do anything rash! We-"

Dumbledore cut him off by raising a hand. "I will not accuse anyone without evidence." he stated with finality in his voice. "I am more concerned, not with who did it at the moment, but how they managed to find and abduct Mr. Potter. I am confident that no one besides the Order members know where he is, except Mrs. Figg. And I have the utmost confidence that _she_ is not working for Voldemort." He looked down at Harry's body thoughtfully.

After a moment, Snape spoke up. "Do you know the counter curses for the enchantments cast on Potter that are preventing him from healing?"

Dumbledore took out his wand, moving up and down Harry's body. He looked up, very grave. "These enchantments are very powerful indeed. The caster used a very ancient magic. The body can only heal with a potion in which the blood of the caster is necessary."

Snape looked at Dumbledore. "So will you now tell me your suspicions on who did this?"

Dumbledore answered, "I will tell you after I have talked to some people. I need to look into this a bit more, but if within the week, if I do not have any clues to back up my guess, I will release my thoughts on this."

Snape persisted. "You are being unreasonable. Are you going to keep Potter like this for a week just because you don't want to accuse an _innocent Death Eater!_ Do you realize how ridiculous that is? There isn't an innocent Death Eater alive!"

Dumbledore looked into Snape's eyes. "How are you so sure that you are the only spy amongst Voldemort's ranks?" Snape was silent. "I am going to wait for the young man who brought Harry in to arrive. Report back to headquarters and inform the others of what has happened." Dumbledore ordered. He gave a curt bow to Snape, and left to go to the visitors room.

****

In Diagon Alley...

Draco looked up and down the street, assuring that there was no one around. He went into the Leaky Cauldron and rented a room. He went up to it, and lay down on the bed. It was not very comfortable, and so he transfigured it into a feather soft queen sized bed with lots of feather pillows and lay down. _'Much better. Wonder why the Weasleys just transfigure their house, it wouldn't be hard. Then again, their magic is inadequate enough that they'd simply blow the place up. Might be an improvement though.' _He smirked but then grew serious._ 'God, in one night I've completely destabilized my whole life, because of that stupid Gryffindor!' _

He found himself getting angry with Harry, although he knew that it wasn't really Harry's fault at all._ 'It was probably Potter's own stupid 'bravery' that got him into this mess anyways. And I just blew my whole life on rescuing someone that I hate! I've got to be even more stupid than him and Longbottom put together! Well...maybe not that stupid. But pretty damn stupid!' _By this time, he was no longer laying down, but pacing the room while squeezing one of his pillows so hard his knuckles were white.

'Since when do I go around saving people? I am a Slytherin, not a fucking Gryffindor (he shuddered a bit as a picture of him laughing with Neville, wearing gold and scarlet came into his mind). _'I've seen loads of people being tortured before. I've never really cared if they died or not. Was it because I know this particular one? I doubt it. Probably would've laughed had it been Longbottom hanging up there. Stupid fucking name anyways. Longbottom? Seriously.' _Draco flopped back onto his bed and sighed.

(he shuddered a bit as a picture of him laughing with Neville, wearing gold and scarlet came into his mind). Draco flopped back onto his bed and sighed. 

'I am in such deep shit. But wait... Can't all this be reversed? If my father could kidnap Potter, then certainly I can as well. I'll just sneak back up into his ward, bring his body back to the manor, hang it back where it was, and put my father back into his bed. No one will ever be the wiser, save for the healers, and they'll just think that the Dark wizard who took him in the first place had come back to finish him off.' Even as Draco thought of this plan, he knew he could never do it. Not because he didn't want to, as much as the fact that there would be healer's on constant watch of the famous boy for about at least a couple of days. His father would have awoken long before it would be possible to retrieve Harry. He also knew, however, that he didn't want Harry dead.

He now addressed the thoughts that had been nagging at the back of his mind since he realized that the whole house could be under the Fedilius Charm. _'I thought father trusted me. I thought he would have made his only son the secret keeper of his house.' _The more he thought about this, the more he realized that his father didn't really view him as a son at all, more as simply and heir to carry on the Malfoy name. _'Father never cared about me or what I wanted. He was going to force me to take the Dark Mark sometime soon wasn't he? And a loving father wouldn't hold their sons under the Cruciatus Curse until they agreed would they?' _He now viewed his whole life and family from an outsider's view, and came to a destabilizing conclusion.

'My whole life has been planned out for me. It's not even really my life, is it? My whole life was simply a product of my mother and father's. I was only born so they could keep up appearances and continue the Malfoy bloodline.' He had always known he was expected to carry on the bloodline, but was only now realizing that that had been what his whole life was about. He suddenly felt very empty and betrayed, as well as naive and foolish. _'Why didn't I see this before? It is very obvious. Why didn't I understand this before?'_ He still couldn't understand why he had been so blind, when he remembered about Harry. _'The whole reason I'm questioning my life, and now my sanity.' _He decided to check on him again. He went up to the grate in his room, which had been crackling innocently, and after throwing in floo powder and stepping in, called out his destination and was whirled away. He walked quietly up to the corridor in which Harry's room was located, and was about to go into it when he heard a very familiar voice behind him.

He had always known he was expected to carry on the bloodline, but was only now realizing that that had been what his whole life was about. He suddenly felt very empty and betrayed, as well as naive and foolish. He still couldn't understand why he had been so blind, when he remembered about Harry. He decided to check on him again. He went up to the grate in his room, which had been crackling innocently, and after throwing in floo powder and stepping in, called out his destination and was whirled away. He walked quietly up to the corridor in which Harry's room was located, and was about to go into it when he heard a very familiar voice behind him. 

"Hello Mr. Malfoy. I thought I might be seeing you today."

He turned around and saw Dumbledore standing in front of him.

**Authors Notes:** Thanks again to all my reviewers! I'm really bad at starting stories and never finishing them, but simply getting one good review is enough to keep me writing. ;)Well, this chapter was a bit longer than the others were. I wasn't sure how much longer you guys 'demand' that it be(JK). I hope it will tie you guys over until the next chapter. **Now I want your opinions on something. **I put this story in the Romance genre because I might make this a Harry/Draco slash story. I might not, though, and if I decide not to I will change it to another genre. I want all of your opinions on this though, because which ever way it goes will change the story drastically. It won't matter in the next few chapters, but it will eventually. If I decide not to make it a romance, there will be several different ways that this story could go. I'm open to suggestions, because I have a habit of not really planning ahead. Actually, I am writing almost all of this as I go along, and many surprises in the story line come to me about a second before I write them. Lol. Once again, thanks to you lovely reviewers!(Unless you are a guy and don't like being called lovely. If this is the case, ignore the last thanks and read this next one)Thanks also to all you tough and rugged reviewers ;)

**P.S. **If my chapters are still too short, I apologize. I tried to make it longer really, I did. Gets on knees in begging position Please don't stop reading because my chapter was too short!


	5. Daddy's Blood

**Summary: **When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own a single thing that has already been mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling owns all that. I own everything that's not in her books.

**CHAPTER FIVE-Daddy's Blood**

Draco stared at Dumbledore. _'Oh shite, did the disguising spell end? I don't know how long it was supposed to keep me disguised.'_ Just as Draco was starting to breath heavily, indicating the start of a panic attack, Dumbledore spoke again.

"Don't be alarmed Mr. Malfoy. You are not in trouble. As far as my knowledge goes, you did not do anything wrong. I need to question you. And in case you are wondering, you are still perfectly disguised. I, however, recognize the magical signature around each of my students. The rest of the world is perfectly fooled, I assure you."

Draco began to steady out his breathing. _'Oh god, how much does he know? He must already know something if he was expecting me, as he said he was. Does he suspect my father?'_ Draco exhaled slowly and faced Dumbledore, making sure he put his mind shields up. His father had thankfully taught him Occulmency.

"Why would you be expecting to see me, sir?" he asked politely, if not a bit coldly and defiantly.

"Please have a seat and I will explain. If would so kindly accompany me to this room right over here?"

Draco was very suspicious of the old man. "I think I would be more comfortable if you just told me what this was about right here."

Dumbledore looked at the boy. "It is your wish that eavesdroppers be allowed the opportunity to overhear us?"

Draco knew Dumbledore was right. He glared at the man for a moment before stepping into the room. Dumbledore followed into the room, where he locked and silenced the room.

"Mr. Malfoy, you may take off your disguise if you wish. No one else is here, and as you know, extended glamours will drain your magical energy."

Draco ended the spell.

"Mr. Malfoy, what do you know of Mr. Potter's condition?"

'Yeah like I'm going to play into his trap. As long as I play dumb, he can't get any proof that I am connected to anything.'

"Potter's condition, sir? Has he done something incredibly foolish again? I had no knowledge of Potter being in any type of condition, and I am wondering why you would think I did."

Draco stared at Dumbledore, confusion in his eyes(Draco had put it there of course). "Pardon me, Mr. Malfoy, however, there is only one patient on the 6th level as of right now, and seeing as how that is the floor on which I spotted you, I assumed that you were on your way to Mr. Potter's room."

'Damn, how am I supposed to lie my way out of this one?' Draco thought quickly and came up with a story with only a second's hesitation (he is a Slytherin after all).

"I was down on the Fifth floor, visiting a friend of mine, when I spotted a staircase going up. My natural curiosity got the better of me, and I came to investigate what could be up here, as I had never heard of a Sixth Floor before." Dumbledore knew right then that Draco would be one tough cookie to get to confess.

"If it is not too rude of me, might I inquire as to whom you were visiting on the Fifth Floor?"

"No you may not, that is my own private business, as is what I was doing on the Sixth Floor." Draco stated in a manner in which Dumbledore meant that he was not going to reveal any information on the matter.

"Now, if the only reason you called me in here to have this chat was to discuss Potter, I think I will take my leave now." He made to stand up, but Dumbledore placed a hand on his arm.

"Draco, Professor Snape and I need to know if your father tortured Mr. Potter. Whoever did this to Harry put an enchantment on him that will only let the patient heal with a potion that requires the blood of the caster. You will not serve any consequences, but we need to know where your father is, if in fact he did this to Mr. Potter."

Draco looked coldly at Dumbledore. "If my father did do this, I wouldn't likely tell _you _now would I? If my father did do this, I had no knowledge of it, and would only regret that he did not finish Potter off. And I wouldn't go around accusing people without proof if I were you. It's not very good for one's reputation."

Draco sneered at the Headmaster and left the room, and into the Healer's Office, checking to make sure there was no one in there before going to the fireplace, and into his room at the Leaky Cauldron.

Dumbledore put his face in his hands momentarily, before getting up and walking into the Healer's Office, where he spotted Draco, as he was swished off to wherever he might be going. Luckily Draco did not see him. Dumbledore sighed. Draco was a good liar, but Dumbledore had been working with Slytherins and Death Eaters far too long to be fooled. Finding Draco in the 6th floor corridor, heading towards Harry's room was enough proof for him right there. Draco's near panic attack and closed off attitude was just extra information. He walked over to the fire, threw in some powder and fire-called headquarters.

Snape appeared at the fire.

"Begin a search for Lucius Malfoy," Dumbledore said.

Snape nodded once. Dumbledore's head withdrew from the fire. Snape sat for a moment. What was he to do? He himself was the secret keeper for the Malfoy Manor. He decided that two student's lives were at stake if he didn't get a hold of Lucius. He therefore apparated about a kilometer away from the manor. He walked to it and thought of the address of the manor. When the door appeared he walked through it. Now was the tricky part. _'Where is Lucius? This manor is too huge to check room by room. Perhaps he is asleep?' _He didn't really think that Lucius was asleep in his room, however he thought it best to check. When he didn't find Lucius there, he thought about Draco.

'Where is Draco? Perhaps he is in his quarters?' He then started the long walk to Draco's rooms. Draco was not there. _'Perhaps Lucius took Draco with him somewhere to hide. He must've known that leaving Potter's body behind was not the best idea in the world. And how in the world did he get Potter in the first place? Something in this whole thing does not add up right!'_ He went to the hidden fire in the manor and fire called headquarters. Arthur Weasley's face appeared.

He then started the long walk to Draco's rooms. Draco was not there. He went to the hidden fire in the manor and fire called headquarters. Arthur Weasley's face appeared. 

"Do you have any news on the whereabouts of Lucius?"

"No, however, I will need assistance in checking the manor. Wait a moment." He withdrew his head and found a scrap of parchment and a quill. He quickly wrote the address down and handed it to Arthur.

"Send aurors as quickly as possible. We will need a thorough examination of the manor."

He withdrew his head once more. He then fire-called Dumbledore at St. Mungo's. "We are having auror's search his manor. They will be here shortly I think. In the meantime, I am concerned about where young Mr. Malfoy is. He is not here and I am afraid Lucius may have taken Draco with him."

"Draco was here not too long ago. He was my proof that it was indeed Lucius who had tortured Harry. I also believe he was the one who saved Harry from his father's wrath, but at what cost I am not sure."

Snape nodded. "Do you know where he is now? He may be the only lead to where his father is hidden."

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, I arrived at the fire long enough to see him leaving in it, however I was not in time to hear where he actually went to. We should keep this fire clear should he come back to the manor via floo."

Snape concurred and left the fire. He went back to the manor's door , where he saw Kingsley, Tonks, Arthur, and Moody heading towards the house. He waited a minute, and then they were inside. "Begin the search."

Draco lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He needed some time alone. _'How am I going to face anyone again? I am a complete outsider now. Once the Slytherins find out what happened, they are going to make my life hell. And what about the Gryffindors? Once father tells Voldemort what I did, every single Death Eater child will know about it, meaning so will the rest of the Slytherins, and consequently, the whole school.' _Draco groaned. _'Way to go Draco! You managed to screw up your whole life just by saving Golden Gryffindor.' _

"DAMN IT!" Draco yelled out loud to no one. He started pacing around his room throwing things, which only served in increasing his frustration and anger. He screamed while shattering things against the wall, not paying attention to what he was throwing. "HE ALWAYS MANAGES TO MESS EVERYTHING UP FOR ME! ALWAYS! WHY CAN'T I EVER BEAT HIM AT ANYTHING! JUST ONCE I WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AHEAD OF HIM!" He was once again irrationally blaming Harry for his actions. He didn't happen to care at that moment though. Blaming Harry was normal. It was familiar and it wasn't confusing him like everything else was that night. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS POTTER!"

He stopped and thought about that for a moment. _'Once again, pay for what? If I had really wanted him to pay, wouldn't I have left him for my father to finish off? Why? It's not like Potter dying will help me in anyway.' _He dropped back onto the bed, defeated. His thoughts then turned to Harry, lying unconscious in a St. Mungo's ward.

As it looked right now, he was the only one who could revive Harry. He was the only one with the knowledge of where his father was, therefore the only one able to get a vial of his blood for the potion. Draco thought it very clever of his father indeed to make sure that if Harry somehow escaped that he wouldn't be able to heal. But then Draco thought about that again. _'I'm the only way Potter could've escaped. Father knows that. So...but that doesn't make sense at all. If father thought I would rescue Potter, didn't he think so far ahead as to think that I would also get his blood to make the potion? That doesn't make sense. Or maybe he simply knows me better than I thought. I have rescued Potter without taking his blood to help him further. Perhaps he realized I would save Potter, but not want to be tied to the whole situation more than I needed to be.' _Then Draco had to make another decision. Whether or not to get the needed blood from his father. He was really getting tired of everything depending on him. Or at least the fact that he had taken Harry's survival as his own burden.

'Where are the aurors when you need them? Wait...where were the aurors? Surely the old man would've had Harry surrounded by them wherever he went. This whole situation is so bizarre. And it's all happened in one night. My life has changed in one night.' Draco was having trouble grasping and absorbing that concept. None of this seemed real to Draco at all. It was like some bad dream that he was hoping to wake up from soon, as he was getting sick of it. _'Of course, in this dream, I am the hero of the savior, so I will go back to the manor and get the blood from father. WHY am I playing the hero though? It's not like I care if he dies or not. I'm supposed to **want **him to die, am I not?' _

Draco was having trouble grasping and absorbing that concept. None of this seemed real to Draco at all. It was like some bad dream that he was hoping to wake up from soon, as he was getting sick of it. 

Rather than try to sort through all the reasons he did or did not want Harry to die, he decided that he needed to get the blood from his father before he wakes up. _'I can decide later whether or not to use it.' _He went back to the fire(_after tonight, I am **never** traveling by floo again)_ and off to the manor, not knowing that it was already occupied by the Order, or that Snape was waiting by the fireplace. He also forgot to put his disguise back on.

Snape stood by the fireplace, waiting._ 'If Draco risked his life to save the boy in the first place, there is no way he will leave the job unfinished. Dumbledore told him what he needs to do to save him, and I am positive that he will come back here to get what he needs.'_ As if this was his cue, a pale, blond boy came swirling out of the fireplace.

"Good morning, Draco."

Draco jumped and spun around, wand ready. He saw it was Snape.

"How did you get in here!" Draco demanded

'Perhaps the whole house isn't under the Fedilius Charm then'

"I am secret-keeper to the house Draco. I am here on Dumbledore's orders."

'Snape's **not** really a Death Eater then? He's a spy for Dumbledore and not Voldemort? I am really not liking this day.'

"I thought you were a Death Eater," Draco snarled.

"Yes, and evidently, so did your father. Where is he, by the way?"

"Why would I tell you, traitor?" Draco sneered at the Professor.

"Draco, it is already evident you don't support the Dark Lord. Dumbledore has already recognized this. How else do you suppose he knew it was you that saved Potter? Don't you think that story you told the healer was just a bit far-fetched? Why would a Death Eater simply leave their enemy behind? Dumbledore knows that you are the only Death Eater child that would have likely saved Potter, and probably the only one clever enough to pull the whole thing off without getting killed. I must say that your father was blind to this information, or he would not have left Potter's side with you in the house to mess things up for him. Now, tell me, where is your father?"

Draco blinked._ 'How is it that Dumbledore could figure all that out? It seems humanly impossible for someone to be that perceptive and clever all at once. I'm not telling them where he's at though.' _

"I don't know where he is at, Professor. He was asleep in his quarters when I left. If he has left, I have no knowledge of where he went. I will, however, try to find him."

"We already have Order members searching the manor."

"Yes, well, none of them know it quite so well as I, do they?" He stalked off in the direction of the dungeon.

Snape looked after him. _'He's quite smart, but he still has quite a lot to learn. Of course, in a situation like this, it must be hard for him to think clearly at all.' _

Snape walked off to search the manor with the others.

Draco had been walking for quite some time when he got to the dungeon. He thought about it's exact location, and the door to it's entrance appeared. _'Father really needs lessons in choosing his trusted.'_ He looked up and down the long stone corridor, then opened the door. "Lumos." He saw that his father was still passed out from the spell. He went over to his body, and took a knife from his cloak pocket. He made a small slit in his father's arm and let the blood fall into a small vial that he took also from his cloak. After he had filled the vial, he corked it and replaced it into his pocket. He left the dungeon and went back to where Snape was.

"He's not in the manor."

Snape stared at him. "You've barely started looking. How can you be sure he's not in here?"

Draco snorted. "You don't think there are ways to detect exactly who is in the manor? Ha. He is not here, that I am sure of. You can call your aurors off. I am going to check some other locations for him."

He left once more via fire.

Snape was slightly amused. _'That was a very good lie. However, I am highly skilled in finding faults with their lies by their body language. I wonder, when will he hand over the blood he took?" _He called the aurors back. "The search is over for now. We will try somewhere else another time. He is not here."

Draco took out the vial of blood and set it down on his bed carefully. He had no idea what he would do with it. _'Maybe I should just give them the blood. It's not like anything bad would happen. But what if they messed up the potion, or dropped the vial and broke it. I don't trust them with it. I suppose I have no choice though, do I? I'm more likely to mess the potion up than Snape, and I don't even know which potion it is. It could take ages to find the correct potion. Right then. I'm off to give the potion to Dumbledore.'_ He once more got into the fireplace, this time traveling back to St. Mungo's. As soon as he got there, he saw Dumbledore sitting in the Healer's Office already.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy."

Draco replied, "Hello Dumbledore. I have retrieved a vial of blood from my father. I want you to know that me helping Potter does not mean I am in any way helping the Light."

Dumbledore nodded. "I understand Draco. Could you answer me one thing before you leave?"

"Well it would depend on the question, wouldn't it?"

"Fair enough. I was wondering why you decided to save Mr. Potter's life. Surely, if you are not committed to the Light, you would want the Dark to conquer?"

"Simply not being on the Light's side doesn't mean I am serving the Dark side either. And I think that I shall keep my reasoning for saving Potter private, if you don't mind." said Draco, not knowing quite why he had saved him in the first place.

"Of course. Well, I know you must be very busy, so I'll let you go now if-"

He was interrupted by Tonks' head floating in the fire.

"Dumbledore, we need you back at headquarters' now! We are having a meeting discussing the whereabouts of-" she stopped, looking at Draco. "Well we need you here A.S.A.P."

"Of course Tonks. Thank you." She popped back out.

"Does she think I'm stupid?" Draco muttered.

It had been quite clear whom she had been talking about.

"Certainly not, I'm sure. However, I do need to report back to headquarters. I need to know something. Would you stay here and supervise Harry while I'm gone? I know the healer's here will take care of it, but I would like someone here that can notify the Order if something goes amiss."

Draco nodded.

"Thank you. Now I have to go. I will talk with you later." Dumbledore escorted Draco out of the room, so that he would not hear the address to Headquarters. He stepped into the fire and stated "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place"

Draco went up to Harry's ward. _'Why I ever agreed to this, I have no idea. I'm going to have to sit here, bored, until their stupid meeting is over.'_ Draco thought, arriving at Harry's door. He pushed it open and stepped inside. It was hospital white. Much too bright for Draco's taste. He wondered vaguely why they were always so white. He sat down on a stiff chair beside Harry's bed, but deciding it was too uncomfortable, stood back up and transfigured it into a plush armchair. He sat back down and looked at Harry's sleeping form. _'How many times has he been in the hospital? Way too much for a 16 year old. Probably more times than anyone at Hogwarts. It's not very fair is it?' _he thought, moving Harry's sheets down a bit, examining the scars on his chest. _'Why haven't they cleaned off the blood yet? Shouldn't they have done that so they could properly examine the damage?'_

"Scourgify. There that's better," he muttered. The dried blood was now gone, although he still looked horrible. _'Who knew that a body had so many places to hold cuts on? I hope his face doesn't scar badly. Wait...why would that matter?'_ Draco shook his head and went back to examining Harry. He moved the sheets further down to his stomach. _'He is too thin.' _he thought, running his fingers over the indented stomach, where the ribs were starting show. _'Don't those stupid muggles feed him? Surely they give him everything he wants, seeing as how he's not only a wizard, but also one of the three most famous ones. But what if they don't. If he was mistreated all of his life, then he's never really been happy has he?' _That was a depressing thought, and also one that made Draco angry on Harry's behalf. _'If those Muggles mistreated him, I will make sure they die slowly and painfully.' _He quickly fixed this thought. _'Because Muggles should be bowing down to us Wizards, and any Muggle who acts better than a Wizard should die.' _He sighed, and after really thinking about it, realized that no one could hear his thoughts, so really he could think whatever he wanted to.

He really did think about it. _'I don't think it's fair that Harry should have been mistreated then come here and be thrust into the role of savior, and have to fight for his life from the time he was eleven to sixteen. There is a possibility that his life has always been hell. That's not fair at all. None of this was even his fault either. Well, at least he doesn't have to feel pain while he's unconscious. Perhaps it would be cruel to give him that potion.' _While thinking this, he ran the back of his hand down the side of his face and back up again, absentmindedly caressing his enemy. He stopped as soon as he realized what he was doing. _'Really, with all of this shit that's happening to him, does he really need a petty schoolboy rivalry to add stress to his days. Maybe we should just form a truce and get over it.' _Draco yawned, and realizing he hadn't slept for more than an hour that night, curled up in his armchair much like a cat and fell asleep.

**Author's Notes: **Did you all like this chapter? I hope so. I can't wait to see Harry's reaction when he finds out Draco Malfoy saved him. I, much like Professer Trelawney, have Seer's blood in me, and I already forsee what will happen the moment Harry wakes up, and I predict that something adorable will happen. Lol. You know, I never used to get any e-mail at all, but with this story, every time I get on AOL, I get the message "Email, email hope it's from a female"(Billie Joe ArmstongGreen Day Email Greeting). This is probably going to be a pretty long fanfic, but I'm already planning my next one out if I decide to write another one. Anyways, I'm rambling again. Thanks to all my fantastic reviewers. I'm not telling anyone whether they will get together or not, you will just have to predict and then find out. Ooooh.


	6. Angel and Traitor

**Summary: **When Draco sees his rival being tortured and raped by his father, he is revolted. He has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. Save Harry Potter from the clutches of his father and risk his life, or walk away and pretend he never saw it, letting the Gryffindor die at the hands of his father.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own a single thing that has already been mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling owns all that. I own everything that's not in her books.

**CHAPTER SIX-The Angel and the Traitor**

Dumbledore appeared out of the fire and into the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. He walked over to where the others were already sitting and waiting for him. He took his seat in a large armchair.

"Lucius was not at the manor when we arrived, however, we think young Mr. Malfoy may know of his location." Moody informed Dumbledore.

"Mr. Malfoy has already brought me a vial containing Lucius' blood. He does know where his father is, though it will be a while before he tells us, if he does tell us at all. Severus, how long will it take to brew the potion?"

"I can have it done in two hours time."

"Good, then that just leaves us the matter of Draco to deal with. He will need our protection if he does not wish to die, but he refuses to join our side. How can we be sure that we can trust him?"

Snape answered the question." We can't be."

Draco was awoken from his slumber by the door to Harry's ward being opened. He debated whether or not to go back to sleep, seeing as how he was so tired. His sleepy mind disagreed with his logical side and it won. He stayed curled up and closed his eyes. He was just slipping back into sleep when he heard the voices of others in the room.

"We can't stay long Molly, we can come back later. He won't be awake until some time after the potion is administered anyways. And when he does wake up, he will surely want to rest." This voice was unmistakably Dumbledore's.

He opened his eyes to see what was going on. The Weasels were standing near Harry, along with Dumbledore, an orange haired lady, and Professor Snape. _'Great. This lot had to be the one to interrupt my sleep.'_ They were still talking but he had tuned them out. He was still so tired. He looked at the clock in the room. He had only been asleep for roughly 2 1/2 hours. He groaned and closed his eyes once more, intent on ignoring the other wizard and witch's chatter. He jumped and growled when someone lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" he asked irritably, glaring at the person who had bothered him, which happened to be Dumbledore.

"Will you please alert us when Mr. Potter wakes up? We have other matters to attend to, but will need to question and explain some things to Mr. Potter."

Draco glared at him. "No. I'm tired. Leave me alone." He shut his eyes once more, but without any real hope of being left alone.

"Well, surely you don't want to sleep in a chair then? You would be quite sore when you woke up if you did. Perhaps, since you won't be helping us staying in here, you would like us to fix you up a room at Headquarters?"

"I'm fine here," Draco all but snarled at him.

"Well, I don't think if Mr. Potter-"

"Fine, I'll stay in here and alert you, just stop talking!" Draco was getting extremely annoyed, and was also getting a headache.

"I beg your pardon, but if you are asleep then how will you know when Harry wakes up?"

"Well, I suppose he will look around, see me here, and scream 'Death Eater' at the top of his lungs won't he?" he snapped. This old man was really pushing it. _'Doesn't he remember 'Never Wake A Sleeping Dragon? really...' _

"Yes, I suppose he will, I just thought that perhaps-"

"God Dammit!" he was really annoyed now. He grabbed his wand from out of his cloak. "Silencio."

The Headmaster fell silent, but instead of looking angry, he looked slightly amused. Draco curled himself up again and was asleep in a matter of seconds.

Dumbledore looked at the others in the room with a raised eyebrow. Mr. Wesley ended the spell. Dumbledore smiled. "Very irritable thing when he's tired isn't he?"

The others laughed, except for Snape, who did not looked amused at all.

"Yes, well, this has all been fun, but we need to get back now, don't we?" he said.

"Yes, yes, let's be off now." answered Dumbledore. They all left, heading to the Healer's Office. Dumbledore looked back at Draco's sleeping form and frowned slightly. He left the room and shut the door behind him, wondering when Harry would wake and how long it would be until Draco informed them of it. He knew that if Harry was wary of Draco, he wasn't likely to wake him up to tell him that he was awake. The thought was ridiculous, really. He wouldn't have left Draco to watch him at all, but they needed all the help they could get with finding Lucius, as Draco wasn't likely to give them information on his location. Although they didn't want to resort to it, if they didn't find Lucius within the month, they were willing to give Draco a truth potion.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Draco awoke several hours later. He stood up and stretched, finding his body to be very sore. He groaned and flopped back down into the armchair. He looked at Harry, who was still asleep. _'He's going to be out of it for a while. I still want to know how Lucius got a hold of him. What am I going to do until he wakes up?' _He had absolutely no means to entertain himself whatsoever. He looked over at Harry again. He still could not place that nagging feeling at the back of his mind, that kept insisting there was some secret reason he had saved Harry. He decided the best course of action was to ignore it. He had always been taught to ignore emotions at all costs. Emotions made a person weak. Malfoys were never weak. _'Yes, and that's why the Malfoys crawl on hands and knees and beg for forgiveness for petty things. Because we are strong, emotionless people.' _Draco thought sarcastically.

He sighed, sat down in his armchair and conjured a book. _'Mein Kampf'._ It had been written by Adolf Hitler. He had become quite interested in finding information on the ex-ruler of Germany, even though he was a muggle. He had the same ideas with the extermination of the inferior race as Voldemort, although Hitler had enough sense to actually take over the country and make everything he was doing legal before doing it. There was no one except the other countries to stop him. It was really funny, the similarities between the two. It was fun to name the differences between the two as well. He had been reading the book when he heard the sheets move in Harry's bed.

He put his book down and went over to Harry's bed, bending over him to see if he was awake yet. He was really getting tired of all this baby-sitting business. He watched as Harry's sleepy green eyes opened and he squinted at Draco. He looked around as though trying to place where he was. For a minute, Draco feared for Harry's sanity, or at least his memory. Then he remembered that without his glasses, he probably couldn't see very well at all. Harry looked back up at Draco.

"Angel, am I in Heaven?" he asked softly. Draco couldn't help but smile a little bit. Harry looked so innocent right then. He then thought about the question.

"Why…do you want to be?"

Harry closed his eyes. Then he tried to move his arm as though testing it. He inhaled sharply from the pain, but bit his lip from letting any other sound out. "Damn. I was hoping that this time there would be an escape from the pain." Draco frowned.

Harry tried to sit up, but winced and bit his lip again and lay back down.

"Don't try to move. It will just cause you more pain, as you have undoubtedly found out already. I am going to get Dumbledore."

Harry bit his lip again, but more as though he was concentrating than in pain. "Your voice is familiar. What's your name?"

Draco debated whether or not to tell him. He decided that Dumbledore could tell him that piece of information. He doubted whether Harry would take the news as well if he told him. '_I doubt if he remembers what happened right now. It'll probably take a little bit before it all comes rushing back. I don't think I'd want to be here when it does_.' "You'll find out later. Just lay back down. Dumbledore will be here in a minute."

He left the room reluctantly. He didn't think Harry should be left alone for long. He ran down to the Healer's Office to fire-call Dumbledore. He suddenly realized he didn't know where he was. "Stupid bloody Headmaster doesn't even tell me where to find him." he muttered. Then he thought of another way to try this.

"Albus Dumbledore." It worked. Dumbledore came over to Draco's floating head.

"Is Mr. Potter awake?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, get here quickly, he probably shouldn't be left alone for very long."

Draco withdrew his head and hurried back to Harry's room.

"Dumbledore will be here in a moment."

Harry stared at him, as though trying hard to remember something.

"What?" Draco asked warily.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing, I was trying to remember your voice as _someone_ won't give me my glasses." Harry replied pointedly.

Draco sighed. "Really, it is for the best that you wait for Dumbledore, but if you want your glasses now, I can give them to you."

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he replied, "I would like my vision back now." Draco walked over and picked up Harry's glasses, then hesitantly handed them to Harry.

Harry put them on and then looked at Draco. Harry held a strange expression on his face then. After a few seconds he nodded. "Yes, I did recognize your voice at the very least, and thought it might be you, but I had a hard time believing that you would really save me from your father. Why did you do it?"

'So Harry does remember then.'

"I don't know." he replied truthfully. "Maybe I'm not as much of a bastard as you thought I am" Draco sneered.

Harry almost looked apologetic, then quickly changed his mind. Harry looked angry suddenly. His voice was slightly raised now, and he was glaring at Draco. "Why shouldn't you be? You've given me every right to believe you are so far. How do I know you don't have an ulterior motive for saving me. I doubt that you would-"

However, he cut off at the sight of Dumbledore coming through the door. "Ah, Harry, I see you have been informed of the circumstances in which Mr. Malfoy is here."

Harry looked at Dumbledore. He was quite angry by now. "I know that he took me from Lucius, but as to why you would put Malfoy alone in a room with me remains a mystery." he said coolly.

Draco felt his own temper rising. "Oh, so you'd rather me have left you for my father to murder? You would have preferred another few rounds of torture? Or perhaps you liked the feel of my father invading your arse?" he asked heatedly.

Harry attempted to glare at him, but he could tell it looked less than threatening. He looked away from Draco and down. "No." he muttered so quiet that Draco wasn't sure he had spoken at all.

Dumbledore looked between the two. "Draco may I have a word with Harry alone please?" he asked politely. Draco nodded and walked out of the room.

Dumbledore walked over to Harry, and sat down at the foot of his bed. "Are you feeling alright, Harry?" Harry nodded, a bit ashamed at blowing up at Draco. After all, he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Harry, do you feel like telling me how you came to be at Lucius' home? I had Mundangus Fletcher watching your house this whole summer. Surely he would have seen someone, especially a Death Eater trying to abduct you. You didn't, by any chance, happen to have left your relatives house did you?" he asked Harry patiently, while watching him over his glasses. Harry shook his head. "I-" he began, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I was outside of the house, but I was still on the street. Then he grabbed me and-" Once more, his voice cracked. "He grabbed me and he drug me into the house, and port keyed me to Lucius' home." He was now shaking slightly.

Dumbledore looked at him softly. "Harry, who grabbed you? Who took you to Lucius? Where was Mr. Fletcher?" Harry hissed.

"Mud doesn't deserve a Mr. in it's name." Harry said angrily. Dumbledore looked shocked, then very grave.

"It was Mundangus that did this then?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "Yes."

Dumbledore stood up. "Thank you for telling me this. The Order will be able to track Fletcher down soon, I think. We are also looking for Lucius. Draco is the only person that has information on his location. He is not prepared to divulge that information to us at this time. Seeing as how we are so busy, Harry, we do not have an extra member to look after you tonight. Would you mind if Draco stayed here overnight to keep an eye on you and make sure nothing happens?"

Harry thought he had heard him wrong for a moment, then assured himself that he had heard right. He felt his temper rising. "How do you know that Draco isn't a Death Eater himself! He could be waiting for a chance to finish me off. That's probably why he saved me in the first place. He wanted the glory of being the one to defeat the boy that Voldemort himself couldn't! Why can't Ron, Hermione, or even Ginny watch me? Why can't a _trusted _Order member stay here! WHY MALFOY OF ALL PEOPLE!" During his ranting, he had sat up and was now glaring fiercely at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stood up and put a hand on Harry's shoulder, forcing him to lie back down. "Harry, I would put one of your friends with you, however, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger are currently in America with Mr. Kingsley tracking Bellatrix Lestrange. Miss Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Lovegood are helping Bill Weasley identify and locate other Death Eaters, and the rest of the Order is following leads on Lucius Malfoy. We really have no other choice but to leave you under Draco's care. I must be on call at every possible moment, and I really would have no way of telling every member of the Order that I would be staying overnight at St. Mungo's."

Harry slumped back into his bed and nodded. He now felt rather as though he had been being childish about the whole matter. He also felt useless. _'Of course the Order is busy. Voldemort is back. I would have been stupid to think that they are just sitting back and relaxing this whole time.' _Then he felt resentful. _'Everyone else is out there risking their necks, and Dumbledore isn't even keeping me informed of anything, let alone letting me help. Why is he letting Neville, and even Luna do more work than me? Haven't I shown that I can defend myself along with others in battle. Or maybe he thinks I am too rash. I did go and get Sirius killed didn't I? That must be it. He thinks I'm too much like Sirius to be any help. But didn't keeping Sirius locked up prove to be a major factor in his death?"_

He stopped that train of thought before he wound up depressed.

He saw Dumbledore staring at him with an odd expression. He felt it would be even more foolish to throw a tantrum about not being able to do anything useful, and being left in the dark again, so he merely lay there. "Well, I believe I need some rest. I probably shouldn't have gotten angry. I am now exhausted." He turned over on his mattress as though he was going to sleep. In fact, he was not very tired right now, he just wanted to be left alone so he could sort through his emotions and thoughts. Dumbledore nodded. He stood up and swept across the room. He opened the door and turned towards Harry.

"Mr. Malfoy should be coming in here soon. Please try not to lose your temper with him. Goodbye." He left the room. Harry turned towards the ceiling. _'Great. I get stuck at my relatives house all summer while the other members of the Order, and even people who weren't members of the Order track Death Eaters, and help the cause. They're all keeping busy with that, and I'm staying home doing nothing. Now I know how Sirius must have felt. Then I had to go and get myself kidnapped by Fletcher and be raped by Lucius. Now I am sitting here in a St. Mungo's ward and being babysat by Malfoy of all people, not to mention the fact that I've now added more work to all of the work the Order already had to do. I feel just great. I also owe a life debt to Malfoy don't I? Come to think of it, why did Malfoy save me?'_ That question had been gnawing at him since he found out that Malfoy had been the one to rescue him.

'_Did Malfoy have an ulterior motive for helping me? If so, what was it? I don't think that even Malfoy would have pulled this stunt just for the fame of defeating me by himself. Even if he did, that plan would have had way too many holes in it to be true. He's most likely not any happier than I am that he has to baby-sit his worst enemy. Well, okay, I'm probably not his worst enemy. I'm sure he hates Dumbledore more than me, at least. He's definitely not my worst enemy anyways. He pales in comparison to Voldemort for one. His father is also worse. And Lestrange, that bitch.'_ He did not know how much longer he would have continued these thoughts _(probably 'till he fell asleep)_ but he was interrupted by a pale boy around his age entering his room.

**Author's Notes: **Oh gods, I am so sorry! This took forever to write, and it's not even spectacularly long or anything. I've just been adjusting to school starting, and my dad's left to go to training because he's going to Iraq and I might not see him for a year, and things have been kinda hectic and now I'm babbling. deep breath Anyways, I hope you liked this one. Dunno how good I made everything. I think it was a bit too anti-climatic but I was trying to finish this chapter before everyone gave up the hope that I would update it within a month, so it was a bit rushed. Anyways, I plan to make the next chapter better, and not take so long with it. Once again, thanks to all my reviewers and readers. Hopefully all of my readers are reviewers, but I doubt that.

**P.S. **There were 3168 words in this chapter. If you want chaps longer, request a number of words and I will average the requests out and that will be my new quota. Or a number of paragraphs, but that won't be as accurate cause some of my paragraphs are longer than others.


	7. Hospital Pajamas

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that anybody else does. That's it. That's all there is to say about it. Ok. Now on with the story!**

**Chapter Seven- Death Eater Conspiracies and Hospital Pajamas**

Draco looked around the hall outside of Harry's room. He wondered when Dumbledore would be back. He would really like to get back to the Leaky Cauldron, but Dumbledore would probably think he had gone off to do something 'Death Eater orientated' and he didn't feel like having aurors bursting in on him, so he waited. After a while, he could hear Harry's voice as it got louder. He was obviously mad at something Dumbledore did. _'Dumbledore just lets Potter rant at him? I guess being Dumbledore's favorite does have it's perks after all. I'd like to call that old coot some few choice words, but he'd probably have me expelled for trying something like that. Of course, Harry could blow up the school and Dumbledore'd make some excuse for him.' _

"WHY MALFOY OF ALL PEOPLE!"

Draco was torn from his musings by Harry's voice shouting at Dumbledore. _'What on earth are they talking about? Or better, who?' _He found himself curious. _'Why me, or why my father? I guess either one could make sense, but he wouldn't really be mad at Dumbledore for what my father did would he? But it's not Dumbledore's fault that I was the one to save him. Perhaps he's mad at Dumbledore for leaving me overnight alone with him. Yes, that would be it. I would be furious too if the situation was reversed. How thick was Dumbledore anyways, leaving his favorite student with his torturer's son?' _He found himself slightly amused by this. If Dumbledore was always that naïve and careless with his students, it was no wonder Harry had been caught in the first place. _'How **did** my father get Potter anyways?' _

Draco was just beginning to think of ways that Lucius could have captured Harry when the door opened. Dumbledore stepped out.

"Draco, I need you to stay with Harry again tonight. I know it's not exactly a preferable situation to be in, but we really do need someone here."

Draco stared at him. _'See what I'm talking about?' _he thought to no one in particular. "Why is it," Draco began "that you would leave your favorite student with his torturers son, and also someone who hates him, and not be the least bit worried about it? How do you know you can trust me?" he asked in an almost accusatory voice.

Dumbledore looked over his moon-shaped spectacles that Draco had always hated, and answered. "You know, I would have thought it would be Harry to ask that question. I simply trust my instinct. Why would you have saved him if you were planning on killing him?"

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "How do you know I didn't just want to make you look like a fool, and get all the glory to myself?"

Dumbledore looked amused. "You know, for two people who hate each other so much, you and Mr. Potter think quite alike. However, that often is the case. I am afraid, however, that I must answer your question with another question. If you were planning on doing all of this, why would you have told me your plan just now?" And with that, he swept off down the corridor, leaving Draco staring blankly after him.

"But…I never said I'd stay" he called weakly after him. He sighed and turned back around. "Damn infuriating man, he is," he grumbled under his breath. He walked back into Harry's room, scowling. He all but slammed the door behind him. He flopped immediately onto his chair, then looked over at Harry. "Having fun?" he asked sarcastically.

Harry glared at him. "You don't have to stay, you know. You can leave. Honestly, I don't mind." he said, gesturing to the door.

Draco could have laughed, but he didn't. "Yes, and I'm sure Dumbledore would take that perfectly well. He wouldn't have thought I was leaving you on purpose and sending more Death Eaters over there. Of course not."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Well that wouldn't be my problem would it? Of course, I don't doubt that you would go recruit Death Eaters. That still won't stop me from throwing you out of here to leave Dumbledore suspicious if you don't stop being sarcastic about everything. It's annoying." Harry snapped heatedly. Draco glared at Harry, but with great difficulty, refrained from snapping back. He sunk into his chair further, having every intention of sulking.

"Pouting, Malfoy?" Harry asked, amusement evident in his words.

Draco glowered at Harry. "Leave me alone, Potter." he spat. Harry looked back at him.

"Or what Malfoy? Looks like you haven't got daddy or his Death Eater pals around to help you anymore."

Draco momentarily forgot his anger and just stared at Harry. '_That ungrateful little bastard,' _he thought incredulously. _'I saved his arse and he taunts me about it?' _His forgotten anger swept back over him with great force. He stood up, shaking. "I FUCKING SAVED YOU POTTER! IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME, YOU'D BE DEAD EITHER NOW, OR IN A COUPLE OF HOURS! AND YOU **_TAUNT _**ME ABOUT IT! I'D THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE A BIT MORE GRATEFUL THAN THAT! IF THAT'S HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ACT, THEN I SHOULD HAVE FUCKING LEFT YOU DOWN THERE TO ROT! FUCK YOU, YOU BASTARD!" he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. '_I hope Voldemort finds him, and tortures him slowly. Now I remember why I hate him, the son of a bitch.' _He stormed into the Healer's Office and threw floo powder into the fireplace. "The Leaky Cauldron." He ran up to his room, where he flung himself on the bed, fuming. He was still extremely angry when he fell asleep from the exhaustion of yelling and spending all of his energy being that mad at Harry.

Harry lay in his bed, feeling quite ashamed of himself. _'Malfoy was right. He had just risked everything, gave everything in his life up to help me, and I threw it back in his face. I was a bastard.' _He put his hands in his face. "Why did he help me though?" he muttered to himself. He could think of no explanation other than Draco setting him up. _'I would have saved him.' _He knew he would have saved Draco, but that was different. _'Malfoy's a Death Eater. He always bragged about how the Dark Lord, or his father, would kill me one day, yet he just prevented his father from killing me. It doesn't make any sense at all. I wish I could sit on him until he told me why he did it.' _

Immediately after thinking this, Harry chuckled at the childishness of this notion. _' "Sit on him"? really.' _He lay back and pondered. _'Does that mean we are friends now? He did save me after all.' _Harry looked at the ceiling. Harry wondered why it was so white. _'Don't they know how depressing that color is in a hospital. And it makes the patients feel so uncomfortable.' _He was beginning to slip off into a doze when he heard the healer come in.

"Well, it's good to see you awake. Although, why Dumbledore didn't tell me sooner…" Harry sat up. "No, stay laying down. It's better for you. This will only take a minute now that the potion has been administered. She cast a spell over Harry's body and the outer signs of bruising and cuts were gone. Although when he tried to move, the better part of his body hurt. The healer handed him a potion. "This will help with the pain. You should be completely restored physically by tomorrow." She left the room, and Harry fell asleep shortly after, still coming up with reasons that Draco might have saved him, and most of them would not have been to Draco's liking.

Draco awoke from his light sleep when he heard a door bursting open. It was far downstairs, sounding like it was coming from the main entrance. He heard a slow drawling voice sounding much like his own. He also heard what the man was saying. "Is Draco Malfoy here?" he demanded loudly.

The man answering him was quite obviously frightened. "He's in room 283. Third floor."

Lucius laughed. "I knew he'd be here, the hopelessly obvious boy he is."

Draco knew he had to get out, before his father came. He knew his father wasn't playing around if he had come in broad daylight to find him. He knew the dangers of doing that. Aurors would probably be on the case in a matter of minutes, should anyone alert them. There was only one way out. Only one place to go. He heard the sound of his father's quick-paced steps on the stairs. He ran over to the fire, and threw in the green powder. Stepping in, he said his destination clearly. No sooner had he finished it, when his father's face emerged and he lunged at the fire. But Draco was already spinning in the ashes, and his father had no way to know where he was going.

Harry was suddenly woken up. He soon found out why he had woken up when he met silver eyes above him. He reached over for his glasses and put them on. Draco was waiting next to the bed, obviously distressed.

"Wha's wro-o-ong?" Harry said while yawning.

"My father, Potter. He's was at the Leaky Cauldron a minute ago. He was looking for me and I had to get out. I had no where else to go except here."

Harry stared dumbly at him. "A Death Eater is after you, and your idea of a good hiding place is a pub in Diagon Alley?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course. I didn't expect him to follow me, with aurors out everywhere."

Harry was now fully-awake. "Aurors! I need to tell Dumbledore!" He sprang out of bed, and immediately fell. He looked down, and saw that in his haste to get to Dumbledore, he had entangled himself in the blanket. He groaned, getting up.

"Graceful, as always Potter." Draco sneered.

Harry ignored him. He threw off the blankets, and was beginning to leave, when he remembered he didn't know how to contact Dumbledore. Owls weren't fast enough. _'Lucius can disapperate. He won't be there anymore. He'll be in hiding again. There's no point in telling Dumbledore, it would just be a waste of time.'_ He sighed, defeated and crawled back into bed. Draco was watching him with an eyebrow raised.

"I thought you were off to report the useless fact that my father had been in the Leaky Cauldron, and is now in hiding again." Draco taunted.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, that's why I didn't go isn't it? I realized that I don't know how to contact Dumbledore, and even if I did, Lucius would be long gone by the time they were able to apparate there."

Draco sighed impatiently. "Of course he would, he would have disapperated to the manor as soon as I got away, wouldn't he have? Do you ever think before speaking, or acting for that matter?"

Harry looked up, slightly offended. "Yes, I just forgot about apparating for a minute."

Draco snorted. "Yes, I suppose living with muggles will do that to a person." he said mockingly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Why did you come back here anyways? I thought I had offended your precious ego." he retorted automatically, but almost as soon regretted it. Draco, however, did not look as angry as this comment should have made him.

He was looking at Harry as though contemplating him. "No, not so much my ego…" he muttered distractedly. He shook his head as though to clear it. "I did think, however, that you would be a bit more grateful for what I did do for you."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why did you do it? Help me, I mean."

Draco shrugged. "I wanted the pleasure of killing you for myself. Didn't want my father to hog all the spotlight did I? Dumbledore played right into my little trap." It was nearly impossible to catch the sarcasm in his words, and Harry wasn't exactly the most observant person in the world.

Harry jumped out of bed, grabbing his wand on the way up, and pointed it at Draco's throat. "I KNEW IT! YOU ARE A DEATH EATER PLANNING TO KILL ME! GET OUT RIGHT NOW, OR I SWEAR I WILL PUT YOU IN PAIN YOU HAVE NEVER FELT BEFORE." He yelled.

Draco looked highly amused, but also slightly surprised. He couldn't pass up the opportunity, though. It was just too perfect. "OH NO! I'M GOING TO BE ATTACKED BY A BLIND BOY IN HOSPITAL PAJAMAS! SOMEONE SAVE ME!" He yelled, but not nearly as loud as Harry had, and with much more sarcasm than his words had held earlier. He mock fainted, falling gracefully onto the floor. Where he burst out laughing. By this time, Harry had lowered his wand, and was now staring at Draco as though he feared for his sanity. He blinked. Once. Twice. Then he understood. It all made sense. And it was funny. He laughed. Draco was still laughing. Harry was now also on the floor. Draco and Harry were both sprawled on the floor, laughing, a lot. And this is how Dumbledore found them as he walked in. It was a once in a lifetime sight.

Dumbledore resisted the urge to laugh at the sight of the two "enemies" and cleared his throat. Draco jumped up and smoothed his hair and robes, clearing his throat, but Harry remained stubbornly on the floor, still rolling.

"May I inquire as to what you gentlemen are laughing about?"

Harry looked up, and blinked. "I forgot." he said simply. This was obviously also highly amusing to him, and he went into another round of hysterics.

While Harry was having his little fit of laughter, Dumbledore looked at Draco. "Perhaps you can recall what was so amusing to the both of you?"

Draco bit his lip. He knew that telling Dumbledore why they were laughing would make them sound very childish, and Dumbledore may take the conversation seriously, as Harry had earlier. He settled on an edited version of events. "Harry looked as though he was going to attack me, and I simply commented on the fact that I did not wish to be attacked by a blind boy in a hospital."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "I am assuming, Mr. Malfoy, that you simply, 'had to be there'?" Draco nodded, quite embarrassed by now. Dumbledore turned back to Harry. "Well, if we are all finished here, I have some matters to discuss with the two of you." He waited the whole 30 seconds it took for Harry's laughter to completely die away.

"Okay," Harry said standing back up.

Draco gave him a look that plainly said, "You have no class."

"Well, everyone have a seat," Dumbledore said, conjuring up two chairs around the room. Draco sat down in his chair, Dumbledore and Harry taking the other two seats.

Dumbledore began. "Well, the first matter we need to discuss is the reasoning behind which Mr. Malfoy rescued Harry from his father. I know that you are reluctant to tell us this, but the first step to trusting you is to know why you didn't let Mr. Potter be killed."

Draco took a deep breath. "I don't support the Dark Side, or Voldemort (he spat the name), but I am also not on the Light Side. I suppose in the long run, however, I simply want Voldemort gone, and I couldn't let probably the only hope for defeating the bastard die. I don't particularly want to have to bow down to that snake, and if the Dark conquered, then I, and everyone else that wished to stay alive would have to serve him."

Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment, and then seemingly decided that this was a valid reason, for he then said, "We will need to make living arrangements, then. Both of you will need utmost protection, therefore will need to live in Headquarters. There is a problem with that, however. Although I trust you enough to live in Headquarters, Draco, I cannot be sure that you will not be tempted to go back to your father and cause damage to the Order and it's cause or members. Therefore, Harry will need to watch over you at all times. At night, you will sleep in a room that I have personally set the wards for, insuring that you will not try to leave, or contact anyone outside of Headquarters, while protecting you from outside intruders."

He waited for both Harry and Draco to explode at hearing this, yet only one of them seemed angry.

"Professor, I don't want to be Malfoy's baby-sitter! He'll drive me mad! AND if he wanted to attack me, he'd have no problem doing it if I have to be around him constantly!" Harry stopped suddenly. He looked over at Draco suspiciously. He had showed no signs of protest to this. He had simply nodded once and then looked down. "Why aren't you complaining? Is it because you know what I said was true? Are you planning on killing me?" he snarled.

"Harry, please calm down! You know that I would not have imposed these security measures on you if they were not necessary. When Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley arrive back for the school year, you will watch Draco in shifts."

At this, Draco reacted. "I WILL NOT HAVE A MUDBLOOD AND A WEASEL WATCHING ME! THEY'LL TRUST ME EVEN LESS THAN POTTER DOES!" He yelled.

Dumbledore stood, with a bit of anger evident in his eyes. "You will refrain from calling Ms. Granger any such offensive terms while under the Order's ruling." he said, and although he did not yell, but stated this calmly, it had the effect that yelling would never have. Draco sunk down into his chair.

"I will not permit them to watch me. I would go back to Diagon Alley before I let them near me, especially baby-sitting me like I were a toddler."

"I'll watch him, Professor. No need to inconvenience Ron and Hermione. I'm the only one that owes him anything." offered Harry.

This seemed to make Draco angrier. "Your idea of repaying me is to act like my patrol officer!" Draco asked incredulously.

Harry looked at him. "No. I'm just saying that they shouldn't have to watch you, it's because of me that you are here in the first place. I'm not going to penalize them when they have more important things to do."

Draco seemed to give up on arguing the point. He didn't say anything, but looked quite dissatisfied.

Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "When do we leave?"

Dumbledore looked at his watch. "We can leave now if you would like."

Harry nodded.

"Right then. Well, we'll just floo there. Come along," Dumbledore said.

Harry looked mildly surprised. "I didn't know you could floo here." he said.

"Most people don't. You have to use a special grate address." Draco responded.

Harry looked at him suspiciously. "How'd you know that?"

Draco sighed. "My father used to be let in on every secret the wizarding world had, Potter. How else would I know? My father had great connections."

Harry almost felt sorry for Draco. "Oh."

They arrived at the grate, where Dumbledore told Draco the address of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry went through first, then Draco, and Dumbledore came out last. Draco surveyed the house.

"_This _is your great headquarters?" he asked scathingly.

Harry thought it was rather rich of him to insult Sirius' old house when he didn't even have a house to live in. "Nobody's forcing you to stay here. You can go live on the streets and get tortured by Death Eaters if you prefer." he snarled.

Draco dismissed this. "No thanks, I'll be fine here as long as I get my own room." He looked worried suddenly. He turned to Professor Dumbledore. "Having Potter monitoring me doesn't mean sharing a room with him does it?" He looked absolutely terrified waiting for the answer.

"No, of course not. You will both get separate rooms for the time being. However, when the others come back for school, more than two of the boys may need to share a room. However, they may not, depending on the amount of people who will be boarding here. But there is no need to worry about that as of now. I will show each of you to your room."

Draco and Harry both nodded and proceeded to follow Dumbledore upstairs. Harry's floor was the one he and Ron had shared the previous summer. He went inside where he heard Draco going into the room that had surely been Hermione's. He wondered, since there were only 3 bedrooms for the children, if he would end up having to share a room with Draco.

'_Fred and George will be in one room, Hermione and Ginny in another, and Ron and I in this one. If Luna and Neville are staying here, then Luna would sleep with Hermione, and Neville and Malfoy would each sleep in either the twins' or my room. And since I'm responsible for Malfoy, he would have to sleep in here.' _Harry let out a loud groan and fell back onto his bed, covering his face with his pillow. _'But maybe,' _he thought with sudden hopefulness, '_Fred and George might not stay here. They are getting older, maybe they'll branch out and get a place of their own.' _Harry decided to hang on to that hope until he found out if they would be here or not. It was the only shot he had at not sleeping in the same room as Draco. Then he thought of another problem.

'There is **not **enough room in here for another bed. How in the world are three people going to sleep in here, if there is only room enough for two beds. Well, I guess we could all put our stuff somewhere else and cram the beds in here. But then all the beds would be pushed together and I am not sleeping that close to Malfoy. And my nightmares. He would be just like Dudley and torment me about them. Although it may not be as bad, since he could probably figure out what I was dreaming about. He knows who Cedric is, he might be a little sympathetic.' Harry snorted.

'_Right. Draco. Sympathetic. That's going to happen.'_ Harry sighed. He decided to take Dumbledore's advice and not worry about it until he had to. It wouldn't do to dwell on what may or may not come. He was simply putting more worries in his mind that need not be there. Harry soon started to feel drowsy. He was soon asleep. He was having an odd dream. _He felt someone's hand stroking his face. He wanted to know who it was, but he couldn't open his eyes. His body felt like it was shut down, as if it was trying to heal, but it was too sore. He managed to open his eyes to slits, but as he didn't have his glasses on, he couldn't see properly anyways. He did manage to see that whoever was stroking him looked pale, with light hair. An angel came to mind. He felt the angel stop suddenly. He didn't want the angel to stop, it had felt nice. But his mind was going blank again. _

His dream changed, but the angel was still in it. _Harry awoke, but he didn't know why. He wanted to go back to bed, but he felt someone somewhere around him. He opened his tired green eyes, and looked up. The angel was back again. He wished the angel would touch him again, but it didn't. He tried to reach up to the angel, but his arms were too tired. He asked the angel if he were in heaven, but the angel didn't answer him. _Harry was now in a semi-asleep state, where he was still dreaming, but was also aware of the fact that he was in a dream. He tried to remember what happened after that, but he couldn't remember. He tried desperately to continue the dream, to figure out who the angel was, but the harder he tried, the more awake he became. He was soon fully awake, but he could not remember who the angel was. He fell back into a dreamless sleep with thoughts of the mysterious angel on his mind.

**Author's Notes: **Well everybody, did you like this chapter? I, personally, liked this chapter more than the last one, but I want your opinions on it as well. It was longer than the last one. Oooh, I can't wait to see what happens next, can you? I liked your reviews, they give me fuel to write the next chapter. I am loving this story so far. :D Anyways, I am going to turn in for tonight. Or, yanno, just, find something else to do. Bye everyone!


	8. Cheerful Discussions

**Chapter 8­- Cheerful Discussions Over Peaceful Meals**

Upstairs, Draco was lying awake in his bed. He had too much on his mind to fall asleep. _'Father wants to kill me, Voldemort wants to kill me, the Death Eaters want to kill me, the other Slytherin Death Eater children will want to kill me once they find out what I did, if they don't already know. Dumbledore doesn't trust me, Potter doesn't trust me, the rest of the Order isn't going to trust me. I have absolutely no one left.'_ He turned over onto his back to gaze up at nothing.

'I'm going to have to spend the rest of my school years completely secluded from contact with anyone, and I'll have to watch my back when I'm in Hogwarts. I wouldn't put it past some of the Slytherins to kill me while I'm asleep.' He sighed. _'But maybe I can do something to prove my loyalty to the Order. I hate to think it, but they are the last people that have any chance of trusting me. The key,' _he thought, _'is Potter. If I can get him to trust me, everyone else will too. If I can't, then I have no hope of ever being anything in this place except for a Death Eater prisoner. Someone who needs constant guards. I need Potter to get everyone else.' _

He sighed. he thought, 

If he had been honest with himself, he would have realized that he didn't care whether or not anyone else trusted him, as long as Harry did. All the other members' trust would be meaningless if he didn't have Harry's friendship. He had only acknowledged the fact that he wanted Harry as a friend once, the first day he was on the train. He had been in denial since then. Of course, he had made sure he stayed close to Harry. He had made sure that Harry wouldn't forget who he was in many years to come. But not in the way he would have preferred to have. He had been his enemy instead of his best friend, his confident.

No, instead, that position had been filled by the two he really hated, the Mudblood and the Weasel. Of course, this was the cause of his resentment towards Harry. He had been denied his friendship, and he was in denial about the whole thing, while Harry really did hate him. It made him feel petty and stupid at the same time.

'_Here lies the problem. How am I going to get Harry to trust me? We have been hateful towards each other for too long for him to just decide that he trusts me, and tell the rest of them that he does.'_ Eventually, he decided to just think about the whole thing tomorrow, and get some sleep. After about 10 straight minutes of pre-sleep meditation where he concentrated solely on his breathing and the color black in his mind, he fell asleep. He would have usually fell asleep much sooner than that, but it was harder to clear his mind on this particular night. He was soon into the light sleep that his meditating always caused, and he did not dream.

Draco woke up the next morning, almost refreshed. He dressed, and walked downstairs, seeing if anyone else was awake yet. When he walked into the living room, he saw that it was still dark. He wondered if it was always dark in this house. He also saw that it was a large house, but it had a feeling of foreboding to it. He wondered why Dumbledore had chosen this place as Headquarters. There was nothing special about it. It was quite a contradiction to their side, them being the Light. He saw something small move near one of the armchairs. He went over to it, and saw ears poking out from the side of it. He went around the chair, and saw an ugly old house elf. He recognized it as the house-elf that his father had been getting secret information from the previous year. He was aware that the thing's name was Kreacher. He had always thought the thing rather mental. Right now, it looked like it was cleaning the chair. "Kreacher." The elf stopped what it was doing and slowly turned to look at Draco.

"The Malfoy boy. I hear things about him. Very naughty things. I hear he betrayed Mr. Malfoy and the Dark Lord. I wonder if it is true, what I hear." he mumbled to himself.

"What are you doing Kreacher?" Draco asked the elf, ignoring his mumblings.

I is cleaning. I must be off to clean elsewhere." he glared at Draco for a second before scurrying off somewhere else.

Draco looked around the large, dark room. It really was a dismal house to live it. It had obviously been cleaned recently, but it kept the lingering feeling of dinginess. He lit a lamp and sagged down onto a couch. He covered his face with his hands for a moment, before dropping them to his lap and sagging down. _'How the fuck did I get myself into this situation?'_ He groaned, deciding he needed to take a shower and get ready for the day. He walked back upstairs to his room. He didn't know where a bathroom was, but he was pretty sure it wouldn't be that hard to find one.

He grabbed some clothes from his trunk and looked down the hallway. There were about 13 doors here. He bit his lip, trying to decide whether it was wise to open every door on every floor to find the bathroom.

He soon decided that would be quite impractical. He would have to ask someone, as much as he didn't want to. He walked down one floor and to Harry's room. Quietly opening the door, he walked softly across the floor and to Harry's bed. He pondered on how best to wake him up. It would be amusing to do something such as pounce on him and scare him, but he would probably scream and wake up Order members. It wasn't a good idea to have aurors barging into Harry's room in the early morning on guard and Draco be there. That idea was ruled out. So he settled for a more practical course. He gently shook Harry, attempting to rouse him. He was obviously a heavy sleeper, because he didn't wake up. He shook him a bit harder, then a bit harder, then got annoyed. He shoved Harry out of his bed onto the floor.

"Ouch. That hurt. What'd ya do that for?" he mumbled, clearly still half asleep.

"Get up!" Draco snarled.

Upon hearing Draco's voice, Harry bolted up straight, now very alert with all signs of drowsiness forgotten. "What are you doing in here?" Harry asked suspiciously.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I missed you." he said sarcastically. Harry glared at him. Draco, again, rolled his eyes. "I need to shower. Where's the bathroom in this place?"

"Through that door in the hall." Harry answered simply.

"Oh of course, that door in the hall. How silly of me, I should have looked in there!"

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes. "The closest one is on the third floor 4th door on the right."

"Thanks." Draco responded, mostly sincerely, although old habits die hard, and he could not keep some of the usual malice from bleeding into his words. He left Harry's room and up to the 3rd floor, into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, noticing the bathroom had a overall clean appearance, although still with the sense of darkness the whole house seemed to have. He undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the water run through his hair, and was relaxed within a few minutes.

Harry lay back down on his bed, drawing the blankets back up and turning on his side. He was irritated now, as he didn't really like having Draco wake him up, especially when he pushed him out of bed. I mean, it isn't every day your 'enemy' shoves you out of your bed to wake you up to ask where the shower was. He groaned and got out of bed, giving up all illusions of sleep. He groggily went over to his trunk, pulling out a t-shirt and jeans. He dressed quickly and went downstairs. He could the water running, meaning Draco was still in the shower. He went into the kitchen, smelling something cooking.

Mrs. Weasley was making breakfast (porridge and toast) and reading the _Daily Prophet. _She looked up as Harry came in. "Oh hello, Harry dear. I was just reading the news. It has an article in here about Lucius." She read the article.

Death Eater Spotted in Diagon Alley

Several wizards and witches witnessed alleged Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy storming through the local pub, The Leaky Cauldron. According to eyewitnesses, he was demanding information on the location of his son, Draco Malfoy. The Ministry is currently undergoing investigation about this matter, and regret that we couldn't have been there to apprehend Mr. Malfoy.

"Well, it's a short article, considering. To think, a Death Eater got into Diagon Alley! With all those wizards and witches around, I can't see how he did it. We'll all have to be very careful when we go. It's lucky that Draco wasn't there when Lucius went looking for him. Why on earth Lucius would think Draco would be stupid enough to go to a pub when a Death Eater is after his blood is beyond me," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Of course he thinks I'm stupid, or perhaps just naïve." Draco said, arriving at the doorway of the kitchen. "I wouldn't question my father's reasoning though, I doubt it's ever very logical."

He walked over to the table and sat down. The porridge finished cooking and Mrs. Weasley took it off the stove. She scooped some into three bowls, and set toast on three small plates. She set them in front of Draco, Harry and herself. When she sat down, they began to eat. It was a bit awkward, seeing as how Draco was there, and no one was quite sure what to make of him yet, and so didn't want to say anything of importance to him.

"So, Draco, how was your summer?" Mrs. Weasley asked politely.

"Oh quite good. Let's see. Well, first off, my mother was in prison the whole time, and my father was hiding from the Ministry. That was good. My father pretty much ignored me except to remind me that I was to be a Death Eater soon, and that I would need to be properly trained. You know, the usual parental nagging. Oh, and I almost forgot. I got to save my schoolyard rival from certain death by the hands of my father, as well as almost get killed when he came to find me. Yeah, I don't see how my summer could've been better." he answered sarcastically.

Mrs. Weasley looked quite taken aback.

"If you're going to act like that while you're here, you can leave Malfoy. We don't need any more extra scum around here," Harry said.

Draco sneered. "I would think you needed me very much. But you seem to think that saving your life is not a feat worthy of gratefulness. I expect you think it is expected of anyone that comes across you being tortured to help you. I wonder, do you have any idea how close I was to leaving you there?"

Harry seemed to pale a little. "I don't think its expected of anyone, and I certainly think saving my life is worth of my eternal gratefulness, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to let you treat anyone around here like scum!"

Draco saw the logic in this but did not want to agree with Harry. "You're not going to _let me_ treat anyone how I want to? Oh, I really don't think you can stop me. I doubt you'll be wanting me to get free. If I cannot find protection here, I know other places to seek it. And with the information I have, I doubt if you want me going to them…"

Harry snorted. "And what information is that, exactly? That you betrayed the Dark side and helped me escape to a secret location which you do not know? Yeah, I'm sure Voldemort would be elated to hear that news. He'd make you Death Eater of the Year for bringing him that kind of information, he would," Harry said sarcastically.

Draco looked momentarily thrown off. _'He's right. I have no information to give the Dark Lord if I tried to return. They'd kill me if I left.' _He refused to show any sign of weakness to Harry.

"Then why's Dumbledore so insistent that I have someone watching me, making sure I don't escape?" Draco sneered.

Harry looked almost pityingly at Draco. "He obviously thought of this didn't he? He was probably trying to keep you from running off so they wouldn't kill you. He wouldn't want one of his students killed, you know."

Draco could have laughed. "Like he cares about me. I doubt he would give a shit if any of the Slytherins were killed, especially not me."

This statement irked Harry very much. "OF COURSE HE DOES! He cares about every last student in Hogwarts, and would give his own life to protect any of them. Please do not suggest otherwise!"

Draco just stared blankly at him. "Of course, how silly of me. He would of course die for us Slytherins, and he would never jeopardize one of us to save a Gryffindor like yourself. Especially not just for you." he said sarcastically. "Well, as much as I'd like to continue arguing this point with you, I think it would be rather pointless to try and make someone as naïve like yourself see the truth in what Dumbledore says," Draco said, and stood up, leaving the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley, who had wisely stayed quiet during their argument, looked at Harry, who looked stricken. "Come now, Harry dear, you don't really think what Draco said is true. He cares for all of his students deeply."

Harry looked up at her. "I know. Thanks for the breakfast, Mrs. Weasley, it was delicious." He stood up and left the room, going back up to his own, where he laid down on the bed. _'He's right isn't he? Dumbledore of course would put my life before any other student at Hogwarts. And he would put any Gryffindor's life before a Slytherin's. I suppose Malfoy is more perceptive than I thought. But then, I would probably have noticed too, if I weren't the one Dumbledore was so determined to keep safe. I wonder if he would even put my happiness or health before another's life. Maybe just a Slytherins.' _

He now thought perhaps he should tell Draco that he was right, but immediately wondered if he were going mad. _'Tell Malfoy he's right? That'd be a laugh.'_ But he did remember that he wasn't supposed to leave Draco by himself for very long, and decided he needed to find him, as much as he didn't want to. He got off of his bed and went up to where Draco's room was. He opened the door and looked in, but Draco wasn't there. This momentarily worried him.

'_Where did he go then?'_ He went down to the front room and looked there, but he wasn't there either. He went back up the stairs, checking all the rooms along the way, but he couldn't find him. He was getting more worried by the second. _'Oh shite. Dumbledore told me to watch him. He'll get killed for sure, and although he's a prat, I don't want him dead! If he gets killed, it'll be my fault! Well, his too. It'd be his fault for leaving wouldn't it? Unless they came and got him. What if they found a way in here! But that's impossible. Dumbledore's the Secret Keeper, and he wouldn't have given anyone the address here.' _

He stopped and looked back. He had just passed a door that was ajar. He recognized as the room that held the tapestry of the pureblood wizards. He looked in the door and saw Draco studying the tapestry. _'Of course. He would be in here.'_ He was really relieved that he wasn't gone though. He knew he needed to leave before Draco saw him there, but he had just realized something. He stood still in shock. _'When Malfoy isn't sneering or smirking, he looks almost…inhuman…like…an angel?' _He blinked, remembering his dream of the night before. He shook his head, as though trying to clear it. _'No, it couldn't have been…'_

**Author's Notes:** I'm really very sorry. I know it's been a REALLY long time since I last updated. To me anyways. I will try not to take as long on the next chapter, but I can't make any promises, I'm afraid to say. I know this was not exactly an example of my writing at its best, but it was the best I could think of. I'm kinda at a loss as to how to make this story progress smoothly now, yunno, I don't want it to move too fast, or too slow. Anyways, constructive criticism, criticism, reviews, suggestions, 'Keep Goings!', all of them are welcome, so leave them! That's all for now. Thank you to all of my reviewers of the last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this one.


	9. Arrival

**Chapter 9- The Arrival**

Harry went to his room, quite confused. _'Why did Malfoy look like the Angel? He couldn't have been the angel, could he have? No, Malfoy would never be nice to anyone, especially me. I don't think he is capable of being as nice as that angel was. But still…why did he look so much like my angel?'_

These thoughts nagged at Harry's brain, until finally, he came up with a solution that worked to ease his troubled mind somewhat. _'Obviously, the angel came from my mind. I must have hallucinated the angel while I was half-conscious, and then got the angel mixed up with Malfoy's image, who I could faintly see.'_ The fact that it might be odd to find more comfort in imagining caresses than to think another person in the room had touched him never really occurred to Harry. Besides, he would probably rather have imagined someone touched him than to believe Draco had been nice to him. That would just be weird.

Draco, meanwhile, was observing the tapestry with mild interest. He already knew all the pureblood families, of course, but he didn't know exactly how he was related to all of them. He hated the fact that he was related to the Weasleys of course. He thought he saw a movement outside of the door, but when he turned his head to look, there wasn't anything there. So he lay back on the floor, thinking of the summer still to come.

Spending every day in the same house as Potter, then (and this was the part that actually did make him dread the summer) he would have to endure the Weasleys and the Mudblood. Not to mention the other people that would be tramping in and out of the house, giving him no peace. _'Hopefully, though, when Potter's 'friends' get here, they'll all be busy amongst themselves and will leave me alone.' _This thought did not make him feel better. He didn't like being ignored or cast aside as if unimportant. Especially not by Potter.

The next week went by rather routinely. Draco and Harry basically ignored each other, except for the fact that Harry kept checking on Draco to make sure he wasn't doing any bad deeds. It was on one of these intrusions that Draco got irritated. Harry had interrupted him while he was trying to think of ways to survive the Slytherins in the upcoming year. Seeing Harry had reminded him of the fact that he wouldn't be in his predicament if he had just let Harry die, and how Harry was now being very ungrateful. So, he got angry at Harry for ignoring him for the better part of his stay at Harry's house.

"I'm not doing anything 'evil'! Will you stop coming in here all the time! It's fucking annoying. I know Dumbledore told you to, and you're his little puppet and everything, but wouldn't you think that if I was planning on killing you that I'd have done it by now?" he snapped.

This got Harry on the defensive as well. "This is MY house! Don't try to tell me what to do in it. Or I will throw you on the streets for the Death Eaters to find."

"I'm sure Dumbledore'd love that, wouldn't he? And need I remind you that I saved you in the first place? If it hadn't been for me then you-"

"I'd be dead. Right. But just because you saved me doesn't mean you have the right to do or say anything you want to anyone. If you say one nasty word to any of the Order members, I swear, you will wish the Death Eaters had you."

Draco laughed softly. "Yes, I'm sure that you, with your high morals and non-violent ways, would be much more threatening than He-Who-Shall-Eventually-Be-Named and his followers."

Harry looked as though he agreed, but didn't say so. "Not in the ways of pain, no. But you would not do so well without at least one ally when school starts, would you? I'm warning you right now. You better be respectful to every last person that enters this house. And that includes Ron and Hermione."

Draco looked incredulous. "You're trying to tell me that I have to be nice to a Mudblood? That's disgusting."

Harry glared at him. "Malfoy!"

"What! I am not going to be nice to a Mudblood. I absolutely refuse. And it's not like they're going to be nice to me. Why should I have to be respectful to them when they are just going to treat me like shit?" Harry looked at him, thoughtful.

"Ron probably will. Hermione won't though, as long as you don't call her names, or disrespect her. And I didn't say you had to be nice to them, anyways. I'm just saying that you can't be mean to them. And I'll talk to Ron. There, are you happy?"

Draco looked very far from being happy, but didn't say so. Instead, he shrugged. "Whatever. It's not as if I can change the situation, is it? Might as well stop whining."

Harry looked stunned for a moment. He had never thought that Malfoy even _could_ stop whining when he wasn't getting his way. It was just one of those things that Malfoy did.

"Fine. Just make sure you remember to watch what you say." Harry left the room and went back downstairs to do whatever it was he was going to do.

Draco lay back down on his bed. He wanted out. He had been kept inside for too long. He needed to do something other than walk around the house all day and sleep. But as of now, he couldn't. So he would have to be content to stay in the house and be bored until school. He couldn't wait until school started.

A few weeks later, Harry and Draco were still basically avoiding each other. Today, the Order members that would be attending Hogwarts were coming back to the Order. It was time for Harry to remind Draco of their agreement. Harry was not looking forward to this. In fact, he decided to just not say anything to Draco about it. _'It would just get Draco in a bad mood. He's more likely to be cruel to them if I remind him not to be then if I just leave him alone.'_ Two hours later, while Harry was in the sitting room, he heard the door open and shut and then the sound of running. A second later, Hermione had thrown her arms around Harry. Predictably, Ron was right behind her, looking a bit jealous. Harry laughed a little at that. Hermione let go of Harry, and stepped back to Ron, taking hold of his hand.

"Harry, we have the most fantastic news! Ron and I are a couple!"

Harry had figured as much out when Hermione had held Ron's hand, but he decided not to say so. Ron's ears had turned red. _'Sometimes my friends are a little too predictable.' _"That's great! I was wondering when you two would make it official." Harry said smiling.

If anything, Ron blushed even harder, but Hermione smiled even more brightly. "Well, Harry, you'll have to fill us in on what's been happening up here. Dumbledore didn't tell us anything while we were away."

Harry was surprised at this. "He didn't tell you _anything_?" The fact that he would have to tell them both about Draco was not welcome news to him. Hermione looked a little worried at Harry's shock.

"No. Why, has something bad happened?" Harry was now trying to figure out how best to tell them about Draco. He knew he would have to tell them before they saw him there - they might try to kill him otherwise.

"Well, we have a new guest staying with us for the summer." he began.

"Who is it?" Ron asked.

"Um… Malfoy?" he said, deciding to just tell them and get it over with. Hermione was looking at him as though trying to figure out what he meant by saying "Malfoy." Ron stared at him blankly for a moment. There was a moment of awkward silence, before Ron started laughing. "That was a good one. You really had us fooled for a minute. OK, who is it really?"

Hermione was also looking relived, now that she had gotten the joke. Harry didn't laugh. Hermione saw this and looked anxious again. Ron, however, was oblivious to this fact, it seemed.

"Well…" Harry began, but was interrupted by Draco tramping down the stairs.

"I thought I smelled a Weasel. Oh, and look. It's holding hands with the Mudblood. How cute." Draco batted his eyelashes sarcastically.

Harry growled. "Malfoy! Don't start anything with them. I already told you-"

"Yes, yes. Be nice to the Mudblood. I can be evil to the Weasel if he picks on me. No name calling. Behave. Oh, dear me. I suppose I must have forgotten a few of those rules." he drawled. He said it as though he was bored, although his eyes shown, asking for a fight. Harry understood.

Draco was bored and was trying to find entertainment in a fight with his favorite school rivals. Harry didn't know whether to play along and let Draco have some fun or ignore him. He would have ignored him, but he knew that then Draco would continue to get worse, and might really get him mad. So he decided instead to play along.

"Yes, I suppose you must have, but all is forgiven Malfoy. Now go back up to your room like a good little puppy, and make sure you don't go wandering off. We wouldn't want those mean Death Eaters to get a hold of you, now would we?" Harry turned back to Ron and Hermione, who were looking between Draco and Harry with very confused expressions. Harry sighed, not really feeling like explaining everything that had happened to them.

He was saved the trouble, however, when Draco drawled, "Well, come on then. Tell your little pets how I saved your life from my evil father. It's not _that_ complicated of a story."

He looked over at Ron and Hermione. "Oh, but you might want to talk slow. The red-haired one's a little D-U-M-B." He said to Harry.

Ron pointed his wand at Draco. "Shut up, Malfoy. We don't have to take any crap from you. This is Harry's house, and he can put you out on the streets if he wants to."

"Actually, I'm staying here on Dumbledore's orders, not Potter's generosity. So I doubt if he'll "put me out on the streets" anytime soon. In fact, I doubt Potter would do anything without the Dumb one's say so. Tell me, does he have to tell you to wipe your arse?" The last question was addressed to Harry.

Harry was beginning to get bored with Draco's mouthing. "Fuck off, Malfoy." He turned back to Ron and Hermione once more. "Come on, let's go up to my room, and I'll explain what happened." They made to go up the stairs, but Draco was blocking them. "Move, Malfoy." Harry said, annoyed.

"You're not going to tell the story without me. You'll make me sound bad." He said this so arrogantly that Harry had to try hard not to laugh at him.

"Fine, just move." Draco let them through and followed Ron up to Harry's room. It looked for a moment as though Ron was going to slam the door on Draco, but thought better of it. Ron and Hermione sat on one bed, while Draco and Harry sat on the one opposite them. Harry began to tell them the story, while Draco added in details that he thought necessary, and Ron and Hermione asking questions the whole time. Finally, Harry and Draco were able to get them to a point where they finally understood what had happened.

**Author's Notes: **Yeah, I know that was a little short for the amount of time I took on it, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

Linker27: Yeah, I guess it wasn't too long. But I'm impatient, so I naturally believe people will stop reading my story if I don't post within a week of the last chapter. But that's just me. Heh.

OneWhoSitsWithTheTurtles: Thanks for the tips!

Emeralddragon: They will eventually. They are probably in denial. Btw: I like your user name.

Elly Yuki: I agree.

Hikari-Aoi:Yeah, I know what you're talking about. I've done that with a couple of fanfics before.

Im da fuck tard: lol. I forgive you. Luckily, my emails arrive so that I read your apology before your insult. Or else I probably would have been VERY confused…until I read my next email…lol.


	10. Apologies and Slytherin Threats

**Chapter 10. Apologies and Newfound Comfort**

Harry leaned back on the bed he was currently sitting on and waited for Hermione and Ron to come to terms with everything that he had just told them. They still looked pretty much in shock though. There was a rather awkward silence around the four of them. It didn't take long for Ron to find his voice however. It was shaking slightly, and had a barely controlled calm to it, as though he thought everyone around him had gone completely mad.

"Harry, this is Malfoy we're talking about. I know it may seem like he's turned to the good side, but there must be some kind of evil plot he's involved in."

"Yes, of course. Because _he_ is going to kill your savior, the evil Death Eater that _he _is," Draco said.

Harry sighed. "Ron, as far as we know, Draco is not a Death Eater. We don't have any proof that says he is at any rate."

"Proof!" Ron yelled incredulously. "What do we need proof for? We know he's a Death Eater, Harry. He's done everything except outright telling us that he is going to be a Death Eater!"

"Well," Hermione started in slowly, " I guess it is a possibility that he could have changed. Not that I'm saying I believe him," she added upon seeing the look Ron threw at her. "I just think that maybe we should give him a chance to prove that he's not a Death Eater after all, instead of jumping to conclusions based on past experiences."

Draco was really starting to get mad by now. He stood up, fuming. "Look, I know I haven't suddenly become invisible, so I would appreciate it if you would stop talking about me like I'm not here!" he said, keeping his calm very well in light of how unhappy he was.

Ron didn't look any more happy than Draco did. In fact, he looked even more upset. "Has everyone lost their minds around here? You are all talking about trusting Malfoy. Do you have any idea how ridiculous that is? Harry, I'm sorry mate, but I'm not staying in the same house as Malfoy. It's either him or me."

Harry glared at Ron. "You're being unreasonable, Ron. You know I can't throw Malfoy out of the house. I don't want you to leave just because someone you don't like is living here, but if that's what you want, you'll have to be the one to leave. I'm not throwing out Malfoy to the Death Eaters just because you are being childish." Harry said, surprising everyone in the room.

Ron looked shocked, hurt and angry. It wasn't a good combination. "You're picking Malfoy over me?" he asked, by this time mostly angry.

Draco was momentarily stunned by this. _'Harry picked me over Weasley?'_

Harry looked at Ron. "I'm not picking Malfoy over you, Ron. You can both stay here. But I'm not kicking out Malfoy because you are being unreasonably selfish. Now, are you staying here or not?" he asked.

Draco was still slightly shocked, but not as bad. It was odd. It was almost like someone was sticking up for him. Almost.

Ron shrugged. "Fine, I'll stay here." he said, although he sounded quite mad about the whole thing.

"Fine," Harry said. "Now we need to figure out rooming, since there are more people than rooms, and obviously…"

He was cut off by three people suddenly apparating into the room they were all in. Ginny, Neville and Luna stood in between where Ron and Harry stood.

"Hi," Neville said, directing it towards Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"Hello, everyone!" Ginny greeted cheerfully. She stopped smiling at the sight of Draco. "Malfoy," she greeted with a slight incline of her head.

"Weasley," he said with contempt.

"Wait, why don't you look surprised that he's here?" Ron asked Ginny.

"Dumbledore told us about the situation. We were going to pass on the word to you, but we decided you'd probably be here by the time we got a hold of you." she answered.

Harry nodded. "Okay. Now that everyone is here, we can figure out rooming. Now, is everyone in this room staying here for the summer?" he inquired.

Luna shook her head. "No, I'm going to stay with my dad. I just came to say hello," she said distantly.

Everyone else in the room nodded. "Okay, then that means six people are staying," he said, counting everyone. "There are three rooms, so we need two to room. Well, obviously Ginny and Hermione will share one. And I suppose I'll share one with Malfoy," he said, his heart sinking while dread set in. "So that leaves Neville and Ron to share a room.

He remembered Fred and George. "Does anyone know if the twins are staying here this summer?" he asked, hoping they weren't.

Ginny shook her head. "No they're staying with Lee Jordan this summer, since they knew it would be cramped over here."

Harry nodded, relieved. He just had to put up with Malfoy. It wasn't exactly a cheering thought, but at least he'd have more space than if he had to share with two other people in his small room. It could be worse. But still…. Why did it have to be Malfoy? _'You ought to be more gracious towards him, you know. He did save your life, didn't he?'_ A little voice in his head volunteered this thought. He vaguely brushed it aside, although now he wondered if there was something he could do to repay Malfoy. He did deserve something, even if he was being an insufferable brat now.

Draco was not exactly ecstatic about the arrangement either. It wasn't so much that he had to share a room with Harry than it was the fact that he had to share a room at all. He knew that sharing a room with Harry was an opportunity to gain his trust more easily. He hadn't been successful with that plan thus far. He just couldn't bring himself to be nice to Harry, especially with Harry always on his case for one thing or another. _'It would only make Potter suspicious if I started being nice to him all of a sudden, anyway. He would either think it was some part of a dark plot, or think I had finally lost it and put me away at St. Mungo's. Bloody stupid Potter.' _Draco saw that everyone was getting up and leaving to do who knows what and so got up and started walking towards the girls' bedroom. He had to pack and unpack all of his things to Harry's room, which wasn't exactly a task he was looking forward to, but it had to get done.

Harry stared curiously after Draco. He found it very odd that Draco hadn't complained when he had said he was going to be sharing a room with him. _'In fact, Malfoy looked pretty far-gone. Wonder what he could have been thinking about.'_ Harry could think of some very good guesses as to what Draco had been thinking about, but he was still very confused about Draco right then, and did not think it would do well to ponder anymore about him than necessary. Instead, he followed Draco to the girls' room. He decided he was going to try to be nicer to him, seeing as how Draco had saved his life, and he could imagine that Draco was going through a rough time. _'Better to be nice to him and find out later that this whole thing was an evil plot than to be mean to him after he saved my life with no bad intentions.'_ He knew the offer he was about to make would probably be rudely turned down, but he was going to attempt anyway.

"Do you want any help with that?" Harry asked Draco, referring to the packing.

Draco visibly stiffened, having realized that Harry was there, but kept his back turned to him.

"You're offering to help me pack? Aren't you afraid I might try to kill you if we're alone in the same room?" Draco asked, although not as maliciously as he would have liked.

Harry was about to get annoyed when he realized that Malfoy's words had been rather bitter. That slightly surprised Harry. It hit him then just how badly off Draco was if he had really turned against the Dark side. And the way Draco had said his last sentence sounded as if he really had.

'_He has absolutely no one. His housemates and family will have all turned against him. No one besides the Slytherins ever liked Malfoy at school. Hardly anyone in the Order believes him _(he wondered if anyone in the Order trusted him) _and I'm being a complete jerk because he saved my life.'_ He sighed. Harry didn't really think Malfoy was a Death Eater, but it was just so hard to believe that he would have changed his mind about something he had seemed so firm about. He walked closer to Draco, who still seemed intent on not looking at Harry.

"I'm sorry. I know you aren't really trying to kill me. If you were, you'd have done it by now. I really am grateful that you saved my life, even though I haven't acted like it. In fact, I've really acted like a complete bastard to you. I want to make it up to you."

By this time, Draco had stopped packing his clothes, but still refused to look at Harry. Instead, he took to examining his hands. "Why the sudden change in attitude towards me?" he asked quietly, letting his mask down a little bit. "Finally realized I'm not out to kill you in your sleep? I'm shocked! Took you long enough though, Potter," Draco drawled scathingly. In a softer voice, which held a sincerity Harry didn't think Draco was capable of, he added, "I'm not like my father, you know."

Harry walked closer to Draco. "I know," he said quietly.

There was a moment of semi-awkward silence in which Draco studied his hands, and Harry fidgeted a bit with his. Harry finally broke the silence. "Would you like help moving, then?"

Draco nodded, and they both started to work in silence.

The next morning, Hogwarts letters arrived. Mrs. Weasley said she would shop for everyone, but Draco would not allow it.

"I'm going to shop for my own things," he said, trying very hard not to sneer at her, and almost succeeding.

"Oh, alright. If you want to that is. It'd be no trouble for me to do it, really," Mrs. Weasley generously offered.

"I'm buying my own things," Draco said firmly.

"Fine, but you can't go into Diagon Alley alone, Malfoy. I'm going with you," Harry told Draco. He did, after all, have to keep an eye on Malfoy.

Draco sneered, but he didn't really mind. In fact, he was quite relieved that he didn't have to go alone. He didn't want to risk running into any of the other Slytherins alone. "Fine, if you must."

Harry nodded. "I must," he confirmed solemnly.

Ron tried very hard not to say something foul to Malfoy. It didn't work. "Don't act so ungrateful, Malfoy! It's your fault that Harry has to go with you in the first place! You should be glad that he's there to protect you," he snarled at Draco.

"It's my fault that Potter has to go with me?" Draco said incredulously. "If it weren't for me, Potter would be dead right now. So don't go spewing off your crap about not being grateful to me, Weasley." Draco said vehemently.

Ron seemed to shrink and pale a little at Draco's words, but other than that showed no signs of regret about what he had said to Draco, although he did shut up for a change.

Harry, who had been silent throughout this exchange, now spoke to Mrs. Weasley, choosing to ignore the other two boys at the table completely. "What time are we leaving for Diagon Alley, Mrs. Weasley?"

Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a look of gratitude for changing the subject. "Around noon, I think.

Noon came, and Harry and Draco flooed to Diagon Alley. Harry stood up, brushing soot from his robes. Draco stepped out of the grate a moment later, looking as though he had not just been in a fire grate. Harry looked at him in slight amazement, wondering how he had managed to not get dirty. Draco saw the shocked look on Harry's face. He sighed in exasperation. "It's easy when you've been doing it your whole life."

Harry blinked, wondering if Draco had somehow read his mind, but then dismissed the thought. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Come on, we have shopping to do," Draco said, walking away towards Gringotts. Harry followed quickly. It didn't take long for them to arrive there. When they did, Draco gave the goblin his key, and then asked Harry if he needed to get money out of his vault. Harry said that he did, and handed the goblin his key also. Soon, they were off on a cart ride through the bank.

While they were twisting and turning quickly, Harry was slightly surprised to see that Draco seemed to enjoy going through the maze of the vaults as much as Harry himself did, if not more.

When they came to a stop at Draco's vault, Draco walked to it, and unshrunk his trunks of gold that he had been carrying in his pocket. He emptied them out into his vault, watching the gold pile up. He then scooped much gold into his bag and then they were off again. Harry also withdrew some gold from his account, and Draco was dismayed to see that Harry's fortune added up to be more than what he had brought with him from home. '_Guess I'm not going to be the richest one in Hogwarts this year, after all,'_ he thought, very put out by this news, even though he barely had less than Harry.

They stepped out of Gringotts and Harry looked around. "Alright, where are we going to go next?" Harry asked.

Half an hour later, Draco and Harry were almost done with their shopping. The only things they had left to get were their books, which Draco had insisted they wait to do until last. Draco often purchased many other books besides the assigned ones, and by waiting until he had finished with his other shopping, he would know how much he could afford to spend on books. Of course, he would never tell Harry this.

They walked into the shop, and made their own ways across the store, each getting the books they would need for class. When Draco had purchased all of the books he needed for his classes, he swiftly looked to see where Harry was. Once he was sure Harry wasn't going to be watching him, he went to look at the books that had the more advanced, darker spells in them. Of course, today just had to be the day when he encountered a Slytherin. It was Pansy Parkinson. She walked over to him, not appearing mad to anyone who might be observing, but Draco knew that look of hers all too well to be fooled.

"Hello, Draco. Have you been well this summer?" she asked her eyes flashing dangerously, as she held that awfully sadistic smile. "I had been hoping to see you soon, and it's just my luck that I should meet you here, isn't it? Funny how those things sometimes happen," she continued in a sugary sweet voice. She then leaned in close to him and, dropping her falsely sweet voice, whispered, "Watch your back, Malfoy. We don't take kindly to traitors. You of all people know that." she said sneeringly. As she did this, she pressed a piece of folded parchment into his hand.

"Fuck off, Parkinson. I don't care what you think." he said coldly.

"Oh, but I think you should. Having us Slytherin as enemies is not a very safe position to be in." With that being said, she left the shop. Draco pocketed the parchment without reading it, and walked back over to Harry, who was paying the man at the register for his books.

"Are you ready to go yet?" Draco asked Harry. Harry obviously hadn't heard Draco come up behind him, because he jumped.

"Huh? Oh…yeah. I'm done." Harry responded, and they proceeded to walk out the door.

After leaving the bookstore, Draco and Harry flooed back to headquarters. Draco was in an obviously horrid mood because of the run-in with Pansy. This did not escape Harry's notice, but he decided to ignore it. When they stepped into the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was already there.

"Oh, there you are, dears. I was wondering when you would be back," she said, busily cleaning the kitchen. It was only about three in the afternoon. Draco supposed they would have been back sooner if they hadn't kept stopping to window shop.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said pleasantly to Mrs. Weasley. Harry began a chit-chatty conversation with her. While Harry was preoccupied with exchanging pleasantries, Draco slipped off to his room. He wanted to see what that piece of parchment from Parkinson was all about. He sat his bags next to his bed and then sat himself on the bed. He unfolded the parchment and began to read the letter:

Draco,

We are very disappointed in you to say the least. Infuriated, however, might be a better word to describe it. You have betrayed Him, and so you have betrayed us. Who would have thought that you, of all people, would turn traitor? Just remember who has access to you while you're asleep and defenseless. Watch your back, Malfoy. You've made yourself a target. In some ways, you are in much more danger than even Potter. Sleep well.

Your fellow Slytherins.

Draco crumpled the letter and threw it against the wall. _'Who needs those bastards anyway?' _he thought angrily. He had been expecting this to come, but that didn't make him any less angry about it. In addition, he had no idea what to do about the Slytherin's threats'. He knew better than to disregard them. So now he wasn't even going to be safe at Hogwarts. "Great. JUST FUCKING GREAT!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, rather forgetting people would hear him. Not that he really cared. He stormed about the room, throwing things around without seeing them, or anything else for that matter. He needed to get out.

He was suffocating himself in his own mind. He sank down to the floor, starting to hyperventilate. He felt so claustrophobic. He needed an escape that he didn't have. He felt so suffocated that he stopped breathing. He was choking on his irrational fears. He was about to pass out when he heard the door open tentatively. He tried to shout at the person to leave, but there wasn't enough air. He started to choke again. He felt someone lean down and start to pound his back.

"Try to relax, Malfoy. You'll be alright."

Draco tried to relax, he concentrated solely on doing what the person was telling him to do. Miraculously, he felt air flood his lungs. He began to breathe normally again, and noticed someone was holding him against their chest and rubbing circles on his back. He turned around to see worried green eyes.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, still holding onto him.

Draco nodded, gently pulling out of Harry's grasp, although he didn't really want to. He got off the floor and lay down on his bed, tired from his claustrophobic attack.

"What happened Malfoy?"

Draco shook his head. "Nothing. I just…couldn't breath," he said, feeling that it sounded stupid. "I'm fine now. I just panicked."

Harry sat down at the foot of Draco's bed, studying him intently. "You don't look fine. Is something wrong? Why were you choking in the first place?"

Draco glared at Harry, feeling as though he were prying. "Nothing's wrong. Not that it's any of your business, Potter," he spat. "Leave me alone. Go bother Granger and Weasley," he said, barely refraining from using their nicknames.

Draco thought Harry looked almost hurt for a moment, but it didn't seem that way shortly after. Harry simply shrugged nonchalantly, and got off Draco's bed, leaving the room.

"Bloody stupid Gryffindors. Always thinking everything's their business." He lay down with his face in his pillow. He cried silently until he fell asleep.

Life at Grimmauld Place continued in the following manner for nearly the rest of the summer break:

Harry and Draco pretty much ignored each other, but were civil when they did speak. Draco avoided everyone else, although he fought back brilliantly when Ron started anything. Ron and Hermione stayed cooped up in either of their rooms, snogging and who knows what else. Harry entertained himself with Ginny and Neville, who turned out to be his only real companions for the summer.

Finally, the night before they were to all go back to Hogwarts arrived. Draco knew he should sleep. He knew he needed to take advantage of the opportunity to sleep with he was still on safe turf. But he just couldn't fall asleep. He was too anxious about facing the Slytherins. He was worried about how he was going to stay alive with the Slytherins as his enemy. He knew the only reason they hadn't majorly attacked Harry was because he was too well guarded and too many people would notice his disappearance immediately. The fact that there would be top auror's hunting down his murdered would just be another reason why it would be irrational for Slytherin sixth years to try to kill Harry.

'_I could disappear for a month before anyone's notice I was gone,' _he thought bitterly. _'I've done this to myself. I've got to deal with the consequences,_' he thought.

An odd whimpering noise from Harry's bed broke Draco out of his thoughts. He looked over at Harry, whose face was contorted in pain. It looked as if he were having a nightmare. Within a minute or two, Harry started thrashing in his bed. Draco leaped out of his bed and went to Harry's. He stood over Harry and grabbed a hold of his wrists. He sat next to Harry, who was still squirming in his sleep. He was at a loss as to what he should do next. He decided that Harry needed to wake up.

Draco took hold of Harry's shoulders and gently shook him. That didn't work, so Draco shook him a bit harder. When Harry let out a short, ear-splitting scream, Draco let go of Harry immediately. Draco had no idea what to do. He decided to try to soothe Harry back to sleep. He lay down next to Harry carefully and maneuvered one arm across Harry's chest and the other one under Harry's neck, which gave him enough control of Harry's body to still him more than he had been, although he was still slightly struggling. Draco made shushing sounds and stroked Harry's hair until he stopped struggling, and eventually, they both fell asleep.

**Author's Notes:**

Well, it's been a while since I updated…I took a break from writing because I lost my motivation to write for a while and I wasn't writing as good as I needed to be. So now I am continuing my story, and I hope to finish it without any more long breaks. I just have to stay focused….eh. Well, I hope you all liked this chapter. I hadn't originally intended to make it as long as it is but I think most people like longer chapters anyway. From now on, I promise to respond to each individual reviewer down here. So review so people will see your name and go….ooooh, ahhhh. Lol.


	11. The First Slytherin Revenge

-1**Reviews:**

_Reviewer's Messageitalics _**My responsebold**

Linker27: _oo... long. it makes up 10x over for the brief break, in my mind. i like long chapters. but there is a down-side as well. glances at my half-finished spanish homework.  
heehee. i wonder what will happen when they wake up. hahaha. i like how you've kept in character well, while slowly changing characters. it's best that way. realistic changes, so you can do whatever you want!  
i really should get back to work, so til next! -linker27_

**Lol. I'm glad you liked this chapter. It's definitely one of my better ones. **

mis-HD:_I did like this chapter and it was long, which this reviewer likes BTW. Boys are stubborn little things! They both want to be nice but they both won't do it. Yeah, that always works best. I can't wait to see what you write for when they wake up in each others arms. That one should be good. Oh, how I can't wait!  
Oh and ohing and ahing aren't necessary, I'm here to praise your work._

**Glad you liked it . Eh. I agree about boys being stubborn. Especially 8th grade ones. I know. I'm sharing a grade with them -.-. Lol. **  
Jujube15: _Nice to see your still living. Had us worring there for a while. jk. -_

**Yep! I'm still alive, and I'm about halfway through Chapter 11 as of right now. **

Beth5572: _I would love to see want you write next.  
Thank you,  
Terri_

**I hope you will like my next chapter! Can I ask you a question… how come your nickname is Beth5572 if your name is Terri? Just wondering. ;;**

OneWhoSitsWithTheTurtles: _It was well worth the wait! And i'm glad your writing again! I love long chapters when they come out but even short ones i love so dont feel obligated to make them really long. I liked how Harry was nice to Draco and then when Draco 'cooed' Harry back to sleep. it was so sweet! lol. But I'm worried about the Slytherins. Could Draco get resorted? or will he have to tough it out in the 'snake-pit' ? Please update ASAP! its soo good! D_

**Thank you! No, Draco can not be resorted, sad as it is. I am working on Chapter 11 and it is coming along well, so you should get the next chapter shortly. **

DestinyEntwinements: heheehee..._Im just too lazy to log in that and my computers being superduper slow! heeheehee cant wait until the next chapter! heeheehee when they wake up in bed together!O.o_

**I can't wait either! Well, actually, this is the next chapter!**

Chapter Eleven - The First Slytherin Revenge

Harry was having an odd dream. It had started out with him reliving his torturous time in the dungeons. Lucius had just positioned himself at Harry's entrance again when all of a sudden the dream changed. Harry was floating on thick white bubbles down a clear stream with the angel laying next to him. He could see that the angel was a boy that closely resembled Malfoy, but he couldn't see him closely enough to tell if it _was_ Malfoy because the spray from the water was blocking his view.

Back in the room, the sun was starting to rise. Draco had always been an extremely light sleeper and woke early. He was slightly surprised to find himself in Harry's bed with his arms still around Harry and his face buried in Harry's neck. Then he remembered the events of the night before and groaned. _'Why did I comfort Potter? I must be losing it. I've been cooped up with Gryffindors too long,' _he thought. But he didn't remove himself from his position.

He knew he'd have to move soon before Harry woke up or someone walked in. He wanted to stay there but good sense won out and he tried to detach himself from Harry without waking him.

In Harry's dream, the angel suddenly disappeared. Harry started to sink. He began to thrash, but the current was getting faster and the water was pulling him under. He was drowning…

Draco froze as Harry started to move, hoping against hope that Harry had not woken up. He saw after a few moments that Harry was still asleep, he was just thrashing around in bed. Draco was now sitting up next to Harry in bed. Draco took hold of Harry and once again tried to rouse him by shaking him. Oddly enough, it worked this time. Harry bolted up in bed, almost knocking Draco off in the process. Harry was panting as though he were completely out of breath. He was also babbling nonsense.

"Angel…gone….where?…drown," he said, before he seemed to realize where he was. He stopped panting and mumbling and looked at Draco as though only just realizing he was on his bed.

Draco started to panic. _'Oh no, what am I going to do? How do I explain this? Oh shit! I'm caught. He's going to kill me!" _

Harry brought Draco out of his furious thinking by asking him, "What are you doing in my bed?" Surprisingly for Draco, Harry actually seemed to be dreading the answer. He looked more scared than angry.

In fact, Draco being in Harry's bed almost completely confirmed Harry's suspicion that Draco was the Angel. Draco flushed and looked down at his hands which were in his lap, twisting around each other.

"Well…um…you were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you up but I couldn't get you up and you started to scream. So I…what were you dreaming about anyway?" Draco asked.

Harry half-heartedly glared at Draco. "Don't try to change the subject, Malfoy."

Draco wanted to lie. He wanted to make something up, but there was no way to weasel out of this one. "I couldn't get you to calm down so I laid down next to you and…held you so you'd go back to sleep," Draco admitted, his face flushed.

"Why?" Harry asked. He couldn't imagine why Draco would want to comfort _him_ of all people.

"Well I couldn't possibly sleep through all that noise you were making, could I? Besides, it's not like you're the only one who knows what it's like to have a nightmare, Potter." Draco had experienced several nightmares, especially after his punishment sessions with Lucius, and they were far from pleasant.

Harry looked at Draco, who was still fiddling with his hands but now had his face turned so that Harry was looking at his profile. Harry was once more struck by the beauty of Draco and how much he looked like the angel. He was now nearly certain that Malfoy was his Angel.

"Thank you," Harry said softly to Draco.

Malfoy looked back at his hands. "Yeah, well we better get ready for school. The others will be up soon," Draco said, getting off Harry's bed and grabbing some clothes, leaving to shower.

'_Why can't he act like that all the time?'_ Harry thought. He got off his bed and proceeded to dress in his baggy muggle clothes.

Eventually, everyone got ready and they were now boarding the Hogwarts Express. Draco had slipped onto the train while Mrs. Weasley was smothering the rest of this, much to his pleasure. He found an empty compartment and stashed his things into the luggage rack and left to go to the prefects meeting. He didn't feel like staying in the prefects compartment and was planning on blowing off his prefects duties for the train ride to Hogwarts.

As he was walking towards the prefects compartment, he passed Harry and the others, who were busy trying to fit everybody and their things into one compartment. He passed them quickly and soon heard two sets of footsteps behind him. _'The Mudblood and Weasel, no doubt.'_ he thought. He quickened his pace and got there quite a bit ahead of them and shut the door behind him with a little more force than was perhaps necessary.

After the prefects meeting had ended, Draco made his way back to his compartment. He heard a compartment door slam behind him and several pairs of feet seemingly following him. He quickened his pace slightly, hoping that it wasn't the Death Eater children behind him. _'In two years time they'll all be branded with the Dark Mark. Maybe sooner. That's when I'll really have to worry.'_

Of course, it had to be the Slytherins behind him. Zabini stepped out in front of him and the rest of the Death Eater Slytherins circled around him. "Hello Malfoy. So glad you could join us," Parkinson said.

"What do you want?" Draco asked menacingly.

"Tut, tut. That's no way to behave, Draco," Parkinson responded. "We'll have to teach you a lesson, so you won't forget your manners around us again."

Within a split second, two sets of hands, which he recognized as Crabbe and Goyle's, were around his arms. He struggled in vain as they threw him roughly into the compartment they had come out of. Nott, Zabini, and Parkinson followed and locked the door behind them. Draco tried to figure out a means of escaping, but there were none. He tried to stand up but his former bodyguards held him down. There was nothing he could do to prevent what he knew was coming next. He closed his eyes tightly preparing himself for the worst.

They started with the simple things, such as physically beating and taunting him until he was bleeding both outwardly and internally. He was nearly unconscious by the time they started with the Cruciatus Curse. He passed out almost immediately after it started, seeing as how his body was already so weak. Of course, the Slytherins magically revived him and used it again. They repeated this several times, although Draco didn't know how many times. Eventually, they stopped and seemed to be done abusing Draco for the time being. Under Nott's instruction, Goyle and Crabbe carried Draco's unconscious form by the neck of his shirt, intentionally cutting off Draco's air supply.

They took Draco to the only empty compartment, which was the one Draco had claimed in the first pace. Surprisingly, no one had sat there. Crabbe hoisted his body onto the luggage rack and Parkinson locked the door magically. The Slytherins then returned to their own compartment to plan ways to _really hurt Draco. _

Back in Harry's compartment, he was cramped. Ginny, Neville, Luna, Ron and Hermione were stuffed into one compartment. To say the least, it was not a very comfortable situation to be in. It wouldn't be so bad, except that Hermione and Ron took up one whole side of the compartment to themselves, snogging. He decided to take his leave because there was a very noticeable lag in conversation where the only sounds were Hermione and Ron's sloppy kisses.

"I'll be back," Harry said, standing up and making his way through the door.

He walked down the train corridor, glancing to see if any compartments had been left empty, not having much hope of it. He was quite surprised actually when he found one at the end of the train. He found it odd though, that someone had locked the compartment door. He had to use a more powerful unlocking spell than "Alohomora" to open it, and when he got it opened, he found something that was not at all to his pleasure.

Harry gently lifted Draco's body off of the luggage rack and sat him down on the compartment seat. "Damn it! I shouldn't have let you go off alone with the Slytherins out there," he mumbled to himself. He decided to wake Draco from his state. This wasn't, perhaps, a wise decision. "Enervate," he said, pointing his wand at Draco. Draco's eyes snapped open and he immediately curled into the fetal position at the back of the compartment, trembling terribly.

"Malfoy? Malfoy, are you alright?" he asked tentatively. Draco's only response was to whimper and tremble more violently.

Harry was growing increasingly alarmed. "Draco, clam down. Please. I'm not going to hurt you." Draco didn't stop trembling but he slowly opened his eyes and looked at Harry.

"Help me…please," he said softly, as though he were exerting a great amount of energy by talking.

Immediately after saying this, Draco passed out again. Harry didn't know what to do. _'I need to get help. Hermione could help me. But I can't leave Malfoy here. The Slytherins could come back.'_ He was trying to decide whether or not to carry Malfoy to Hermione when Ginny arrived at the compartment door.

She gasped loudly when she saw Draco. "What happened?" she asked, gaping at his bloody form.

"The Slytherins apparently aren't too happy with his saving my life," Harry replied.

Ginny knelt down next to Harry. "Here. Stand back. I learned some spells last year that can tie him over until we get to Hogwarts." She then used four or five spells. When she was finished, the only visible change was that he had stopped bleeding outwardly and there was no more blood on his body. "That will help a little," Ginny said. "Do you want me to stay with you until we get there? In case something happens I can go get help."

"Yeah. Thanks Ginny." He sat on the floor with one arm holding Draco's body in place so Draco wouldn't fall off the bench. Harry looked at Draco's unconscious form and he was struck once again by Draco's beauty. He was beautiful, even through the cuts and bruises that marred his face. _'It's a shame Malfoy can't always be nice,' _he thought. But the fact of the matter was that Draco constantly treated Harry and his friends horribly, which meant they could probably never have a relationship. _'It's probably for the best though. Even if he was nice, being in a relationship with Malfoy would just complicate his own position with the Death Eaters further.'_

It wasn't long before the train pulled into Hogsmeade, and Harry and Ginny had to carry Draco into a carriage under Harry's invisibility cloak. After all, they didn't think the whole school needed to know about Draco's mishap with the Slytherins. Someone, the managed it, and got him carefully from the carriage into the castle. They carried him straight to Madame Pompfrey, who gasped when they took off the invisibility cloak.

"What happened to him? Was he attacked?" she asked concernedly, while busily making up a bed for him.

"We don't know exactly who attacked him. I found him on the luggage rack in one of the train compartments. I think other Slytherins did it," Harry told her.

Madame Pompfrey looked skeptical about his but chose not to say anything. She laid Draco on the bed and quickly ushered them out of the room. "Hurry up then. I have to attend to my patient!" she said, as though they had been being disruptive.

"I'll never understand that woman," Ginny said, shaking her head.

Harry laughed slightly and they headed back to the Great Hall for the feast. Harry sat down across from Hermione and Ron. He listened dully as the first years were getting Sorted, and then ate very little. In fact his meal only consisted of a glass of milk and one piece of broccoli. It seemed Ron and Hermione noticed.

"What's wrong Harry? You've barely touched your food," Hermione commented.

"I'm just tired. It's been a long week," he said, yawning convincingly.

"Okay, if you're sure. Make sure you eat plenty tomorrow morning though," Hermione told him.

Harry smiled slightly. He was tired and worried about Draco. After the feast, he went to his dorm and almost immediately fell asleep.

END OF CHAPTER 11!

**I really like reviews! They're the best! So I'm going to put up my next chapter relatively soon…that way I'll get more good reviews. I still hold my record of not having a single bad review!**


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